


I would have you like this

by RedRavens



Series: Various prompts [2]
Category: The Avengers (2012), Thor (Movies)
Genre: Drabble Collection, Gen, M/M, Tumblr Prompt, unrelated prompts
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-01-28
Updated: 2014-08-11
Packaged: 2017-11-27 07:18:22
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 40
Words: 22,977
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/659333
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RedRavens/pseuds/RedRavens
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Collection of tumblr prompts and the 30-day OTP challenge, all mixed in with no order.</p><p>I might take some of them further, I might not.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Prompt: Holding hands**   
**A/N: ambiguity, ambiguities galore!**

He glanced down at the hand holding his. Pale on tan, long elegant fingers, held down on a broad, calloused hand. One of their biggest contrasts yet.

He had no idea when it started, the holding hands-thingy, the touching each other, the yearning, craving, burning, need…

He brought the hand to his lips, brushing fingertips with his lips, feeling the other’s pulse skip a beat. He loved the effect they had on each other. Skipping beats, sweaty hands, fluttering stomachs, sighs, heartache (in that delicious way, when you see someone you like), butterfly kisses…

“Where are you?” He asked, looking at Tony with a slight smile. His stomach fluttered, their hand tightening their hold, “your mind is far, far away.”

“Just thinking.”

“About?”

“Us. How did we begin?”

“With a touch, I remember you offered me a drink and I threw you off a window.”

“That was how we met.”

“It’s a beginning, elskan.” Loki smiled, bringing Tony’s hand to his lips, the engineer rolling his eyes at the sappy gesture, even as his stomach fluttered.


	2. Chapter 2

**Prompt: Cuddling Somewhere**

The thing about dating a genius, billionaire, ex-playboy, philanthropist is that said genius, billionaire, ex-playboy philanthropist still had all the habits from the days he was a playboy. Basically Loki had had to re-train him to be a useful and considerate lover [up to his standard, not to those of midgard] It was like training a cave-man in some ways, train him to not flirt and mean it, train him that inviting people to their affairs was okay, inviting people to their lovemaking was not.

Training Tony was interesting as it wasn’t actual training, but mind games and manipulation until the ex-playboy learnt his lesson. Sometimes it took only a hint, sometimes a full lessons, rare times it took Loki actually being pissed at him for Tony to learn something. Ha! Whoever said that old dogs couldn’t learn new tricks - or something like that - was clearly wrong. Though there was one thing that Tony seemed incapable of learning: Cuddling.

The man seemed to have an aversion for it, seemed to shun all contact when it started. And Loki was getting annoyed.

He leaned against the bed post, just watching the mad genius work. It was something that people would rarely associate with Tony - or with Loki for that matter - but the man was a workaholic through and through, until a distraction was needed and then party, sex, more sex and then they both crash & burned, because Loki was right there, right beside him. If one was working on a project, then so was the other.

“What are you working on now?” He asked, leaning his head on the crock of Tony’s neck. Tony half-shrugged, trying to get the weight off of him.

“Implementations for the Enterprise OS. We’ve been having a few crashes and my IT is having trouble figuring out why. So I’m involved.” He shrugged, moving the shoulder Loki was on until the deity moved. Loki sighed, put out.

“I hate it when you don’t let me touch you. I’d like to be with you and kiss you without it having to be sex.” He said, leaning against the bedpost again and tucking his feet under himself.

“I let you touch me.” Tony said absent-mindedly, hands flying over the virtual keyboard. Loki snorted shaking his head, his hand going to Tony’s waist, only for that hand to be slapped away like an annoyance.

Loki snorted, rolling his eyes, “no you don’t,” he said, getting up. “I’ll be back in a few hours.” Tony agreed with a nod, adjusting on the bed, frowning at the virtual screen as he analysed the data in front of him. It was a few hours until he looked to the side, annoyed at the lack of progress, to see his lover… not there.

“Loki?” he asked, looking around. When no answer was forthcoming he called again. And again. “Goddamn it! JARVIS? Where’s Loki?!”

“Mr. Odinson is in the living room along with Mr. Barton and Mr. Rogers.”

“Aw fuck it!” He cursed, throwing the covers away. He knew that Barton still loathed Loki, and Steve sometimes shared the sentiment due to Loki’s apathy to everything he did. He ran to the living room, not minding the lack of violent noises from that direction, unaware that everything was silent.

He stopped short at the foot of the couch, staring. Steve was nodding off in one of the armchairs, while Clint and Loki were quietly watching a movie, together, peacefully, too peacefully, with both laying together on the couch, Loki making Clint his pillow while tanned, rough fingers carded through the black hair, there was a content sigh coming from the god of mischief that made Tony’s stomach drop.

“You’re like a cat.” Clint said, snorting.

“And you’re gonna wake the captain up.” Loki retorted, and Tony could see Loki snuggle deeper, silently encouraging Clint.

“Kitty.” Clint snorted again, but Tony noticed his fingers never stopped their slow movement. His stomached clenched, and he silently left, going back to bed and leaving the project alone for the night. He had no more ideas on how to stop the leak.

“Stark left.” Barton muttered in Loki’s ear. He knew Stark saw them like this, he would flip.

“I know.”

“Manipulative bastard.” Nope, it wasn’t fondness in his voice, not at all.

“Don’t complain, you used to enjoy it.”

“Only every other Thursday.” He snorted, going back to the movies. So what if they had both taken advantage of the mind control to get physical reassurance from the other? Clint, at least, had never pretended to be not need it, that his master was also starving for physical touches was also of interest and something that had helped Clint get through Loki’s manipulations.

They felt silent again. Watching the world be destroyed by angry aliens again and again. Just a usual day.

Two days later Tony made sure to drag Loki to the living room for movies and for cuddles as they watched Tron.


	3. Chapter 3

**Prompt: Watching Movies**

Tony would be the first person to admit that no, he didn’t really like physical contact with people, specially after sex. He wasn’t fond of cuddles, he didn’t like spending idle time in bed, doing nothing but touching each other. It had no purpose, and, despite what others might deem as evidence, he didn’t like doing things without a purpose.

Sex? One-night stands? To fill the void left by the lack of a relationship.

Getting drunk? Forgetting one’s problems.

Ditching meetings? A way to temporarily forget he he didn’t answer to anyone.

Sleepless nights? Unwillingness to face the fact that yes, the days did move on despite him not wanting to go through another one.

Lack of touches? They didn’t matter, and he rarely deserved it.

Caffeine? He-

“You’re thinking too much.” Came a voice from the general vicinity of his chest as they both watched Shawshank Redemption again, as Tim Robbins broke the pipes with a rock. Before that it had been The Soloist, Toy Story, MIB, Brave… Had it really been that long?

“Still thinking darling.” Loki muttered, resting his chin on Tony’s chest as Tim Robbins crawled through the sewer in the movie. Tony’s finger rubbed Loki’s scalp, the trickster purring in delight as he settled back, Tony couldn’t help but smile, watching his lover and ignoring the movie. He knew them all by heart anyway. He grinned, giving Loki a kiss on his head, his fingers carding through the thick strands of hair.

No, under normal circumstances Tony didn’t like touches, and cuddles and human contact. But he could always learn to appreciate it.


	4. Chapter 4

**Prompt: Going on a Date**

“I’m never taking you out again. Never!” Tony shouted, running to hide behind a tree, Loki was a few steps in front of him - damn his long legs! - going up a tree and reading his weapons.

“That’s my line!!” Loki shouted back, a copy of himself running through the forest, giving Tony time to escape the Vanaheimr elves. “I am never going on a date with you again!”

“You wouldn’t be able to even if I wanted!” Tony snarled, readying the gloves and the blasters. Damn it all! And all they had planned on was a day in Vanaheimr, drinking, having fun, meeting the locals.

Grabbing the supposedly super-secret jewel from the wench who wasn’t actually a wench but an elf-princess was a complete accident. For once.

“Good! You’re never getting near me again! We’re never, ever going out! I can’t take you anywhere!” Loki snarled as the copy passed them by, half a dozen warriors on running after it.

“Take the ones from the back, don’t kill them! I just need them to have a concussion!” Loki ordered, a specially-made bow in his hands as he readied the first arrow.

“What are you planning?” Tony asked, reading the blasters to half the capacity and aiming.

Loki shot one of the elves as Tony dropped the other one, picking up the elves one by one until they were all down.

“Gonna alter their memory. Have some of them think they stole the jewel and the others got killed in the fight.” Loki said as he dropped to the ground. His hands glowing green and brow as he effortlessly changed the elves memories.

“And the jewel?”

“Might as well take it.” Loki snorted as Tony joined his side, rolling his eyes. “It’s not exactly valuable, mind, but it has some interesting properties.”

“Interesting properties? Yeah right…”

“It’s true… Like quartz but… Well… From Vanaheimr.” Loki shrugged, finishing with the last of the elves and getting up.

“So, how are we getting back?” Tony asked, slipping a hand around Loki’s waist.

“I’ve no idea.” Loki snorted, kissing his lover’s cheek.


	5. Chapter 5

**Prompt: Kissing**

**A/N: Bit of an AU in this**

 

It was rare that Mr. & Mrs. Stark were home. Not that Tony didn’t like it. He did, he loved his parents but it was rare that they were both home, rare that it was at the same time too…

Usually it was him, the nanny, the help and Loki visiting. His friend often escaping his much older brother and his friends.

Tony didn’t really like Thor, he was big, blond - so unlike Loki! - and had a ton of muscles and he liked to tease and tickle them. He liked running after them either chasing them around - which Tony didn’t mind - or shouting after them - usually Loki - when someone happened.

But Thor was not there, Thor was almost a grown up, and Thor was busy doing almost grown up things… Loki knew he was trying to go after Jane and kiss her. Tony didn’t get why couldn’t he just go to her house and ask her, but his mum had told him it was different then asking someone to play - of course it was, it was kissing! Eugh! - and Loki had told him that kissing involved girl-germs and then babies, because that was what grown ups did! And Thor was almost grown up, so Tony supposed he did that too…

“Ewww!” Loki said, stopping suddenly on the tresshold, Tony bumping into him and quickly covering his eyes.

“Mum! Dad! Not here! Ew!” He cried as Mr. & Mrs. Stark shared a kiss.


	6. Chapter 6

**Prompt: Walking Alone**

He glanced behind him, the street was empty of life, devoid of sound. Save for him.

Tony liked to walk around the city after night fell and everyone was asleep, liked the non-sound of his footsteps, the - often foggy - breath coming from him, the shadows growing and taking over the world, it felt like being alone, though he knew he wasn’t, knew he couldn’t be, not anymore.

He walked around the city alone, feeling the cold breeze on his face, hands in his pockets fingering the black box.

He liked to walk and think, think of the possibilities, of what if’s. He liked to daydream about his future… no, rather… their future…


	7. Chapter 7

**Prompt: Easter Holidays**

Officially, Loki’s favourite day was April 1st.

Unofficially…

“What is it with you and chocolate?” Tony asked, looking at the god of mischief sitting on the couch, the glass table in front of him covered in bright oval wrapping paper Tony knew to be Easter eggs - of the eating kind, obviously, not of the hacking kind - an empty jar that looked suspiciously like Nutella and an assortment of bonbons thrown around.

“Tasty.” Loki shrugged, holding a plate with pieces of the chocolate eggs.

“When have you ever had chocolate? I thought your first visit was during the whole NYC invasion thingy.” He wiggled his fingers in Loki’s direction, Loki just blinked at him, seeing Thor as a child, wiggling his fingers in the same way to indicate his magic. He shook his head, clearing his head from unwanted memories…

He smiled at Tony, somewhat bitter over the overlay of times past, “I wandered around the Maya a bit, pretended to be their sun god…” He thought, thoughtfully bringing a piece of chocolate to his mouth, “they weren’t as good as they are now, incredibly bitter… but extremely addicting.” He nodded to himself, biting another piece and munching in apparent concentration before he dipped the piece in yet another jar.

“A pity it took so long for humanity to discover Nutella…” he said, looking upwards, not really seeing the ceiling at all, “if this had been readily available I would just give it to him and be done with it, no need for bloodshed.”

Tony stared at Loki for a moment, sitting besides the trickster and stealing a piece of dark chocolate, getting an annoyed look from his lover. “You would give Nutella… to Thanos?”

“Yes, and tell him it was the only jar too… I bet he would’ve left me alone after that.”

Tony dipped his finger in the jar, bringing to his lips as he thought over the plan, “I think it would be a distinct possibility, yes.” He leaned against the couch, staring in the same direction as Loki.

“It would have worked, you’ve tasted it, do you think he has anything like this on the other side of the cosmos?”

“Hardly!”

“It would have worked.”

“Maybe.” Tony shrugged, leaning over again to dip his finger in Nutella.


	8. Chapter 8

**Prompt: Forgotten**

**A/N: Presenting Mr. Albert Ryan Stark. Their adopted child**

He woke up from a nightmare to the light of day streaming through his window, every shadow seemed to reach out, hands and faces after him… He ran from his room to his parents bedroom without a backwards glance, throwing the door wide open, glancing at the made up bed, the sky grey and windy outside, the sheets crispy white…

“Dad?” He called, checking behind the door, the bathroom, behind the curtains… He couldn’t check under the bed or inside the closet, oh no, that’s where the monsters were and everyone knew monsters were only afraid of the grown ups.

He felt his bottom lip quiver, and his vision turned hazy… He shook his head, he would not cry. He would not! He was a Stark, and Stark men were made of Iron.

“Dad?” He called again, his watery voice making him hate himself and the situation. He would not cry! He would not!

He left the bedroom, closing the door behind him. On the other side of the hallway was his own room, and he could feel the monsters there, calling for him…

“No…” He whispered, feeling his heart race and his eyes stink… “daddy?” he whispered to himself, taking the stairs, holding down the rail as dad had told him to, ‘for safety’ he had whispered.

He looked around the living room, the gigantic space overlooking NYC, the clouds gathering. He jumped at the crack of lightning near the tower, loosing the battle against his tears, against the monsters coming to get him… “Dad!!!” He shouted, feeling the tears fall down.

The sound of running footsteps approached, scoping the boy up and against a lean, bony shoulder, “shhh, it’s okay baby, dad’s here… it’s fine, Al.” Loki said, rocking the boy on his shoulder, patting the baby’s back as he walked back to the lab, disregarding the flow of tears on his shirt.

Albert was supposed to wake up in half an hour, it was too early.

“Hey little guy, you’re up early.” Came Tony’s cheerful voice, even as he shared a concerned look with Loki, who just shook his head. He had no idea what had triggered the tears.

The crack of lightning had the small body trying to get under Loki’s skin, and he could hear their son’s muffled sobs. Tony got closer, kissing the boy’s dark hair, close enough so Al could feel both of their bodies. He just hugged them both, sharing another look over the child’s head.

It took a few minutes, the compromise of the pacifier - which they were trying to get the child to stop - and a threat to Thor’s nether regions to put his control over thunder to good use, to get the child to calm down enough to tell what had happened.

“There were monsters… and you weren’t there, and I got scared even tho I know I shouldn’t!” He looked at both his parents, cuddled comfortably on Tony’s lap, the sniffs finally stopping.

“Monsters? Where?” Loki asked, running a hand through the child’s hair.

“My room… under the bed.”

“Under the bed? Really?” Al confirmed, nodding shyly. “You were very very brave, hell even I can’t face them… only your father can.” He muttered, looking at Loki from the corner of his eye.

“I’ll see to it that they don’t bother you again.” Loki said, getting up, until a small hand gripped one of his fingers.

“Don’t go?”

“Al”?

“You can do that later, please don’t go?” Loki nodded, sitting besides Tony, cuddling the child on his lover’s lap, the faint sound of the four year old sucking on a pacifier enough to lull them to a drowsy state, as Thor quietly let the lab so the little family could have a moment.


	9. Chapter 9

**Prompt: Hanging Out With Friends**

“… and then he told me ‘I want one’,” the girl said in her best imitation of Tony Stark, her red hair flowing on the wind as she absent-mindedly tucked it behind an ear “and I was like ‘no!’ I mean, it’s a Rembrandt, I’m not gonna let him have it and tuck it away on one of his garages to never let the painting see the light of day again. It’s just not gonna happen!”

Loki nodded as the tailor fit the trousers to his obscenely long legs - the tailor’s words - while Pepper sat on the overstuffed chair, sipping a flute of Chandon, legs crossed as she leaned back. “I hate that habit of his… I hate art being put away, maybe we should open a museum or something?”

“Not enough items.” Pepper sighed, closing her eyes.

“What about an exhibit? Put some art, some tech, some history…” he trailed off, arching an eyebrow at the PA.

“That could work, make them see the light of day one more time and get some capital in between, just enough to cover expenses. But who’s gonna convince him?”

“Convince him of what?” Tony interrupted, walking in with Happy and an assortment of bags.

“Art exhibit, put all those things you have on the garage to good use. Donate the money to charity or add it to the Maria Stark Foundation.” Loki shrugged, turning to the tailor could adjust the pants.

“Ah… no?” Tony muttered, looking at the two people he seriously couldn’t live without.

“And why not?” Loki asked, posture rigid - though that might have been for the tailor’s benefit.

“Yeah, what’s wrong with putting that garage of yours, full of paintings and statues, to good use? It’s gathering dust!” Pepper said, levelling a glare at Tony.

“You two are gonna gang up on me about this, aren’t you?” Tony sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose and cursing the day he introduced Pepper and Loki.

“Yes!” They said in unison, the voices far too amused.


	10. Chapter 10

**Prompt: Goodbye**

**A/N: Another appearance by Al.**

Loki stared at the closed door.

He had just walked in, without a backwards glance, without a wave, without saying goodbye. No kisses, no hugs, no ‘see you later, alligator’ and that delighted laugh. Just a brave face he had put on and determined steps.

“Shh… it’s gonna be fine, we’ll pick him up at 2pm” Tony muttered, leaning against Loki, looking down. If he wiped a tear from his eye no one here would tell or care. They were all new parents letting out their children in the world for the first time, out of the shelter of their parents’ shadow.

“It’s too soon, isn’t it?” Loki asked, voice low, raw, and for Tony’s ears only. “He’s just five.”

“I know, but it was time, he has to learn.”

“We could’ve taught him?” Loki asked, knowing he was wrong. They couldn’t. Loki would loose patience, Tony would expect the child to be advanced enough to keep up with him… and their boy had just begun to read…

“You know we couldn’t.” Tony sighed, he had been all for private tutoring, but Loki had put his foot down, look what private tutoring had done to him, to Tony, to Thor and to every other privileged kid out there (of course he was biased).

“I know but… it’s my boy.” Loki muttered, an arm around Tony’s waist.

“It’s my boy too…” Tony sighed, and to Loki he sounded weary, drained, tired. “I don’t want him to be left out.”

“What has you worrying?”

“He has two dads, he’s adopted, he got a bunch of weirdos for family.” Tony trailed off, staring at the closed door. He wanted to go there and take his baby back, bring him to the lab and teach him himself… but they had agreed, hadn’t they? Agreed to let Albert be by himself, let him become independent.

No one had ever told him it would hurt him this much though, to let his child go, to let him free, to teach him to be himself…

Loki held him close, as much for comfort as for give himself comfort. “Let’s go home, we can access the hidden cameras from the lab.”

“You know about that huh?” No, he wasn’t surprised.

“Of course, who do you think hid them completely from view?”


	11. Chapter 11

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Not part of the 30-day OTP challenge.
> 
> A gift to Aisling-Siobhan, who asked for a fic on her ask-box [though this is a big too long]

**Not part of the 30-day OTP challenge**

He danced, the women and men around him touching, the trickster twirling around, the smoke around him taking in odd shapes, enticing, magical. Tony just stared as Loki dipped one of the elves - a woman, black, eyes as green as the his - who chanted something that made the trickster smile. Honest, delighted, real. Thor touched his shoulder, making Tony jump and remember himself, they were in Vanaheimr on business. He felt his heart clench at the happiness in Loki's face, but he had been the one to leave Loki behind.

He turned away, feeling the music calling out to him, the smell of smoked tuna and something spicy entrancing.

"Tony?" Steve called, in full spandex gear and he felt his stomach drop. He wanted... he wanted. And that was enough. "What's going on?"

"Loki." He whispered to his team leader, shaking his head.

"Loki always shows up for Vanaheimr's Midsummer's even." Thor sighed, looking at the feast around them longingly. He had been there in the past but times changed, didn't they? "It's his refugee of life, one day ever five or so years."

"What did he do to that elf?" Tony muttered, looking back and watching as the trickster continued to dance and entrance with the woman. His hands moving over their bodies, fingers making gestures and the smoke thickened around them, he could see satyrs and other beings slowly drawing closer to the pair, his stomach dropped at the sight.

"That's one of his magics. Loki likes to come, let his magic talk, what was it that he once said? Let his instincts take over."

"By fucking around?"

"What?" Thor looked to the place his brother was still entwined between two elves, their hands touching everywhere, exploring. He supposed he would look sexual to a man from Midgard. He wondered if Tony still had feelings for his brother, but why would he? That had been over six months ago, and Tony had been the one to let go... "Nay, friend, that's the mages letting instincts take over. That's magic. They never had sex, probably never will."

Tony nodded, shrugging, but he couldn't look away, even as the song came to an end, the women letting go of Loki to go dance with someone else, the trickster laughing and excusing himself as he headed for them.

"Thor, Thor's friends, you have come." He smiled again and Tony couldn't help but notice the smile wasn't as natural as it had been during the dance, he looked over but now the children were the ones dancing to a chirpy tune, trying to imitate the adults. He snapped back to attention as Loki continued, "come, the elders await."

As he stepped through the haze of smoke, Loki laughed, twirling the ladies that came close and making an odd sign over their hands. The women left giggling and Tony couldn't help but be progressively annoyed as they walked.

"Could we hurry? The universe's in danger and you're giving the women your number." He snapped as a red headed came over to the trickster, had her palm signed on and sauntered away with a wave that was too cheerful for the engineer.

"Patience, we all have time, and the danger you speak of is to Midgard alone, it would have no effect here whatsoever." Loki shrugged avoiding looking at Tony. "And that's a blessing I'm giving them."

"Blessing for what?" Natasha asked, curious despite herself.

"A wish of happiness, laughter and magic in their lives." Loki replied, petting a dark head that darted past them. "A wish of loved ones, of jokes, music and life."

"You sound like a priest." Clint said, snorting.

"That's a good analogy. More of a druid, by Midgard standards, though." They arrived at a tent, and Loki nodded to the guards. They walked in one by one, but Loki grabbed Thor's arm before he could enter "The warrior's dance shall start soon. Should I reserve a place for you?"

Thor looked around him, shaking his head "Nay, brother. We are needed in Midgard and time is - "

"I think you should join, big guy." Tony interrupted, glancing between the brothers. "Isn't it your tradition? To participate in these? I got the feeling it was..."

"It is but - "

"We have time, according to Loki at least." Tony shrugged looking at the trickster, daring him to contradict himself.

"Of course you do." He blinked at Tony, turning to Thor again, "will you come?"

"Yes... it's been too long."

"Excellent! I'll make preparations." Loki smiled - half real, somewhat forced, Tony felt his stomach clench again. That was the look Loki had given him the last time they had been together.

Tony continued to stare as the tricksters went away and got lost among the smoke and the people.


	12. The thing about magic is...

**Not part of the 30-Day OTP Challenge**

Loki had let himself be captured again, the climate in the pseudo-cage warm, more so than the other times. He refused to roll his eyes. If the mortals had learnt nothing from before than so be it!

It was roughly thirty minutes before one of the avengers showed up, not one he had conversed in any way before, the technomage, Tony Stark.

“You’re not nearly as silent as you think you are.” Loki said, back turned to the inventor.

“And you have serious issues to come back here again, if you needed shelter, there’s a homeless center under the bridge, you know?”

“Ever thought that I just might want to see how my favourite villains are doing?”

“‘Villains’?” Tony said, looking at Loki and seeing the complete seriousness of the god. “You’ve got to be fucking kidding me.”

“All a matter of perspective.” Loki shrugged, turning to look at Stark over his shoulder, leaning against the glass. “To you I’m the villain, to me you are.”

“And you’re what? The damsel in distress?” Tony said, voice disbelieving.

“The mage trying to infiltrate the enemy.” Loki answered with a smirk. It was a change of pace to be truthful with one’s enemy, but Loki was nothing if not unpredictable [to others anyway]

“The ‘mage’ huh? And what sort of magic will you be doing hocus pocus?” Tony called, leaning against the metal walls, staring at the ‘wizard’ in front of him.

“Please don’t ever say that again.” Loki said, snorting in genuine disgust.

“What, hocus pocus?”

“Do you realize what you’re saying? What you’re comparing me to?” Loki ‘tsk’-ed walking to the other side of the cage, hand touching the glass as he watched Stark. “It’s like comparing you, a technomage, to Justin Hammer, I believe his name is?”

“Now you’re just being insulting.” Stark said with a frown. “And I’m not a techno-whatever.”

“Just because you do not have the denomination on Midgard does not mean you aren’t a technomage. In fact Stark you’re just the definition. And I was just as you were.”

“You were much more insulting, me thinks.”

“Stark, by comparing me to a wizard, it would be like comparing a top chef from a three-star Michelin restaurant to instant-noodles. You just don’t do that. The thing about wizardry is… any punk with a book, a bit of imagination and a set of rules and do magic. Mages however,” He smirked, pointing at the blue glow of the arc reactor. “Mages are born and honed.”


	13. Chapter 13

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks to bambistark for allowing me to use her gifs =)
> 
> http://bambistark.tumblr.com

**Not part of the 30-Day OTP Challenge**

****

“I hope you won’t mind the accommodations,” Loki says, his voice showing how utterly amused he is that Iron Man fell [literally] within his grasp.

Tony just looks at him, apathetic, but Loki can see the hidden glare… humans are so fucking predictable! They might claim they’re not but, after you spend millennia studying them [and Loki has] they’re just like orderly chaotic ants. Oxymoron be damned.

Maybe that’s why Loki likes to play with them so much…

“I trust you will find everything you need to start on our little project.” Loki says, even more amused, observing as Iron Man gets his rage under control, Iron Man has an Iron Will… who would’ve thought?

“They will come, you know.” Tony says after an unspecific amount of time has passed, he’s not looking at Loki, he’s looking sideways, silently glaring at the stone cave around them. “They will rescue me.”

“They might,” Loki agrees, amicably. They both know it’s a lie. “But I’ll have broken you by then, Mr. Stark.”

And suddenly Loki is very, very, very near him, they’re almost touching, Tony can feel the icy breath tickling his right ear, can almost feel that silver tongue on him.

“Get started, Stark… you know what I want.”

“And if I don’t?”

“I’ll have to… ah… persuade you.”

And suddenly Tony knows that one of the reasons they call Loki silvertongue is because of the insanely filthy things Loki is doing to his earlobe. He has no idea what happens as he closes his eyes, only that… when he opens them again, he’s naked, spread out on Loki’s green cape with the God of Mayhem on top of him [he suspects magic was used, but he wouldn’t know] his long, thick, circumcised cock hanging out and goddamned it it’s cold! Tony suddenly remembers that Loki is, in fact, a frost giant and is probably not bothered.

“No!” He cries, his hand on Loki’s armoured chest. As if he could stop the god, as if he actually has a choice, as if he’s… as if he’s capable of doing anything at the moment.

“Don’t worry, Mr. Stark… it will be good… just relax for me and you will be fine!” Loki smirks that odious smirk, and Tony only has time to notice his own hard cock before they’re  _touching_. Loki’s above him, their penises rubbing against one another, and Tony closes his eyes until Loki hisses, “look at me.”

And Tony does. He stares into those green, lying eyes even as he feels Loki’s hand reach lower, caressing his balls almost gently before a finger is inside him. It burns a little, but Tony should definitely be used to it. The finger is gone and suddenly something much bigger is breaching him.

Tony closes his eyes again, back arching against his will and his chest is hit with Loki’s metal breastplate, his  _cold_ metal breastplate against Tony’s exposed skin. Loki bites him, teeth sharper than before and hissing like the evil green serpent he is “Look at  _me_!” [and god! How can he restrain himself enough to think, let alone  _talk_?!]

And they’re moving, Loki’s hips are snapping against his, long deep thrusts that have Tony’s feet curling against the green cape and his hips arching to meet Loki’s almost against his will.

“Ah yes… I knew you’d like that” The god smirks, and Tony suddenly hates himself for the position they’re in. For letting himself be taken like a common whore.

The moment he turns his eyes away from Loki’s, due to shame instead of arousal, a hand closes around his throat, squeezing. It’s enough for pressure and to some amount of his air supply, not nearly enough to seriously suffocate him. “I said look.at.me!” Loki hisses, punctuating his words with long, hard thrusts that have Tony almost closing his eyes, if not for the hand on his throat.

And then Loki’s other hand is on his goddamned cock, jacking him off to the rhythm of his thrusts, which are becoming shorter and shorter and much more powerful and Tony is sure he’ll have bruises later.

And Loki reaches climax first, he has enough mind to twist Tony’s cock in a certain way that makes Tony cum too, blacking out against his will.

When he comes to, he’s laying on top of Loki, the green cape draped over them, and Loki’s armour removed. They’re close to a previously non-existent fire, and Tony knows he’s bruised all over.

“Did I hurt you?” And Loki rolls his eyes, probably at his own naivety, “did I hurt you bad enough for the others to notice?”

“Just a bit,” Tony replies, wondering what Loki is doing, carding his fingers through his hair, “I’ll live.” And he will. He’ll probably be sore for days though.

And then Loki draws his face nearer, kissing his lips tenderly, Tony deepens it, feeding his tongue for his god to suckle on. And he does. Loki has always been good with kisses, he delights in them. He often says the lips can’t lie when they’re dancing like that.

When they separate, they share a little mischievous smile.

“Next time, how about you be the captive at the mansion?” Tony asks, smiling.

“We’ll have to get everyone out.” Loki objects, but he’s smiling too.

“We’ll figure out a way.”


	14. Chapter 14

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is a continuation of something else, to understand it, I need you to read something first, here:
> 
> http://frostironistheperfectotp.tumblr.com/post/29260595646/tony-what-the-hell-was-i-supposed-to-do-you

**Not part of the 30-day OTP Challenge**

Life goes on after that. It’s terrible but it does go on.

Loki’ involvement in the Ohio murders (which is none at all) are brought to light, and the finger-pointing turn to the Red Skull, Fury is good at what he does, he’s very, very good. If the said agents drop off the map after testifying, no one says anything.

Life goes on for Tony.

Back to one-night stands, back to drinking, back to patching himself up and trying to be the man he used to be before Loki. It works, sort of, kind of. It feels like something’s missing, it feels like a part of him is gone, like a missing finger.

Tony drowns his sorrows on women, And booze, eventually ending up on Pepper’s bed again. It’s not Loki. And that’s all the comparison his mind seems to make as he lays with her. It’s not Loki.

They make love with their eyes closed, Tony trying in vain to imagine muscles instead of soft flesh, black hair instead of red and long wicked fingers instead of long fingernails. Pepper tries to pretend he’s thinking of her, and not another person.

A game of pretend with no winners.

It lasts two years, and then Pepper says enough is enough and leaves Tony’s bed. He finds it amusing that she remains as his personal assistant.

And then Loki comes back. Short black hair, leaf green eyes, tall, lean and… And not a villain.

Not a villain.

That’s what baffles him the most because since when Mr. ‘Too-famous-to-be-named’ (as the Internet calls him) has joined the good guys?

He asks and Fury says ‘since Ohio.’ And Tony doesn’t answer.

He can’t answer. Trust issues, Tony, trust issues. It’s imprinted on his head since Loki had faded away from his life.

They see each other again at one battle and then at one gala or another. Tony goes with eyecandy hanging from his arm, all dark hair and green eyes and sweet.

Tony ditches her the moment Loki walks in the room. Tall, dark, handsome, leaf green just as he remembers.

“Loki,” Tony says, handing him a drink, it’s Loki’s favourite, he knows, he hasn’t forgotten anything.

“Anthony,” Loki replies, inclines his head in thanks for the drink and Tony flinches at the coldness and at the name.

There’s awkward sikence between them, when there used to be none. He swallows, and thinks again ‘trust issues, Tony, trust issues.’

Against all odds they end up in bed again, and for the first time since their last time, Tony looks a partner in the eyes as they enjoy each other.

If Tony says ‘I adore you,’ and Loki replies with ‘I’ve missed you,’ it’s only for them to know.

It Tony wakes up to an empty, cold bed, and a breaking heart, that’s not Loki’s fault. On the nightstand there’s a note, something that shouldn’t warm his heart as much as it does.

‘Something came up, I’ll be back later.’

And he does.


	15. The FrostIron Tag

**Not part of the 30-Day OTP Challenge**

Loki blinked, eyes going first wide and then narrowed as he looked at the page on the Internet. ‘ _norsekink_ ’ it read, right at the top, in the ‘url’ as Tony had told him. Underneath in big bold letters it read ‘ _Thor_   _Kinkmeme_ ’ and Loki couldn’t help but frown even deeper.

‘ _Thor_?’ he mouthed the name, scrunching up his nose in disgust. On a whim he clicked the first link ‘Round 10’, a quick look led to a few opened tabs, some leading to something called ‘livejournal’ and two others leading to a ‘tumblr.’

His frown only deepened when he realized that most of the ‘prompts’ had him and his brother in a sexual relationship.

He couldn’t help the noise of faint disgust at that.

“Darling?” Tony asked, coming behind the god and resting his hands on Loki’s shoulder.

“These people confuse me,” Loki muttered, pointing at the screen and clicking on the another tab. This one had something called ‘fanart’ of him and Thor of all things! “And they draw the most horrifying things!”

“Ah… I see you found some of your followers.” Tony muttered, amused.

“Followers? I don’t quite recall receiving prayers from a purplemoon or yumitadashi or even wynter_z.”

“No, not that kind of follower,” Tony said, far too amused. “More like people who appreciate your existence, who like to write stories about you and… well apparently about Thor too.” Tony blinked, seeing some of the kinks posted, “well now, and you haven’t even found prompts about us!”

“Prompts about… us?” Loki asked, eyes round, staring at Tony as if he had never seen him before.

“Yes, it is quite surprising the number of people who support, fantasise and draw our lives. You’ll get used to it eventually.” Tony smirked, drawing his deity into a chaste kiss.

“Now I’m curious.”

“I knew you would be. Have you ever heard of tumblr?” Loki blinked, bemused, and pointed at the two tabs opened.

Tony grinned, quickly entering his own account and typing the tag ‘FrostIron’ with had a ‘10+’ sign besides it. Loki’s eyes followed his movements, head tilted to the side, still frowning.

“This, this is you and me, babe… this is our fans fantasising about you… and me.” Tony grinned again, stealing another kiss as he let Loki look through their tag.

Loki stared again.

Fanfictions, fanarts, and a lot of people going _‘I can’t handle this’_ and _‘my feels!’_ and _‘I need someone to RP with!’_ and the sheer number of their pictures meshed in together, either moving or with just words inserted. People asking and answering prompts, their wild imaginations coming pretty close to their real relationship. It was a bit mind blowing.

“Do they even know the truth?” Loki asked after five minutes of browsing through the tag, a few of their ‘fans’ pictures opened so he could save them.

“Nope,” Tony answered, looking over Loki’s shoulder. “It’s just their dreams and fantasies, no harm done.”

Loki nodded, opening another tag, this time to a site called ‘Archive of our own’ and another ‘fanfiction.net’ each with an opened text file, ‘Halo’ and ‘Nine Lives.’ “All right… why am I a cat in this one?” Loki wondered out loud.

“Because you would be lovely as a kitten… anyway, scared yet?”

“Intrigued.” Loki answered, entwining his fingers with Tony’s. “I feel like coming out in public after this.”

“You want to validate their ship?”

“Ship?”

“It’s what they call the people their pair up, ship.” Loki just nodded in understanding.

“Well, we’ll definitely have the support.” The two grinned at each other, masters of mischief ready with a plot, ready for some chaos. Loki had seen how the fans would kill the Internet if their ship was validated, and he was more than ready to test that theory.


	16. Chapter 16

Loki and Odin looked at each other. Loki with his eyes wide begging the Allfather to tell him the truth, mouth hanging open, hands trembling.  
Odin just looked at his son with compassion, he should’ve said so sooner, should have made Loki understand that he was loved, he was still his son, his youngest!

“The truth father… please!” Loki begged.

“I… I found you at the temple, along with the casket. You were so little Loki,” Odin whispered, approaching his youngest and caressing his face, eye far, far away remembering the day he had found the little Jotun runt.

“So I’m not… I’m not…”

“You’re the son of my heart, even if not by blood.” Odin reminded him voice stern but affectionate.

“Oh thank goodness.” Loki whispered, relieved, legs giving out under him.

“Loki?”

“I… Odin, father…” Loki whispered, eyes wide as he looked at Odin, “please don’t take this the wrong way but… thank goodness!”

“Loki?” Odin frowned, kneeling besides his youngest who was clearly hysterical!

“Thank goodness we share no blood… I knew it! I mean, I had an inkling that it might be facts. I’m too different from you and mother and Thor. Not to mention…” Loki stopped, shuddering all over. “I knew it! I’m glad it is true.”

“Explain boy,” Odin demanded.

“Have you seen your manners and Thor’s?” Loki asked, face twisting in disgust. “Have you heard the way you two talk when you’re having a row?! If we were blood kin we would be the same… not to mention Fenris and I.” Loki shivered again, remembering the screaming match between father and son.

“I’m glad… thank you for getting me out of that temple, father.” Loki smiled, his right hand over his heart as be bowed to Odin and swept out of the Vault, looking brighter and smiling more than Asgard had ever seen.

“Well that went better than expected.” Odin muttered, bemused.


	17. Chapter 17

**Not part of the 30-Day OTP Challenge**

Green and Gold are Loki’s colours. Green and Gold fit him in a way Tony thinks nothing else would.

Gold for being something treasured, someone coveted, adored and wanted.

Green for how utterly jealous Tony is of Loki’s affections.

He hates it when his eyes are anywhere but at him. He hates it when Loki has to be gracious and gives his attention to others. He hates it when others pay attention to Loki in a way only he has the right to, they want to undress him and  take him and allow themselves to be used. Tony can see it in their eyes, even in the eyes of those who supposedly hate him.

Green of jealousy.

If they’re always touching, is because Tony feels the need to remind himself and Loki that the god belongs to him, that he had pledged himself to Loki in a way he had never done with anyone else.

Loki laughs, calls him his high priest, and says that deities and priests never sleep together.

Tony snorts, saying he has never been good at praying. He cannot help but feel smug as his arm settles on Loki’s shoulder, the way Loki snuggles close to him.

Green for his eyes.

How they become bright at the sight of him, how they flutter awake sometimes, only to close again content, how they narrow in mock indignation, how they seem to disappear in pleasure - Loki’s pupils dilated until all he can see is Tony, Tony,  _Tony_  - how, despite being pleasant, they shoot virtual daggers at his hanger ons, his suck ups, his groupies.

Gold for Tony.

Because if Tony is the Golden Avenger, he might as well be  _Loki_ ’s Golden Avenger.


	18. Chapter 18

**Not part of the 30-Day OTP Challenge**

The thing about them was the constant mind games. Tony pushed, Loki shoved, Tony stumbled, Loki caught him, Tony demanded, Loki [sometimes] gave in and vice versa. It was a game of cat and dog and neither of them were really sure which roles they fit in.

Loki, if one would ever bother to ask him, was usually the cat, running away, selfish, and only showing up when it suited his needs. He could, of course, play the dog in their double act, following his human around and frankly demanding attention and cuddles.

Tony, if one ever bothered to ask him¹, would say that he loved their games. The never ending circle of mischief - never lies! - the pranks, the chasing, the constant need to prove themselves equal,  _worthy_ , of the other.

The thing about them was… that not all games were in the battlefield. Some were in Tony’s mansion or even Loki’s flat², some happened while trying to watch the TV, or picking up a film. Or the way Loki picked through Tony’s tech and pointed out flaws. The way Tony picked through Loki’s plots and pointed out holes bigger than the Crater Lake. The way Loki would just turn down Tony’s music when he was getting annoying. The way Tony would shut down Loki’s laptop³ when he started plotting world domination with DOOM or gossiping with Amora and Sigyn.

Though their favourite games remained in bed. How Loki would just run away from Tony, naked as the day he was born, only to let himself be caught by his engineer. How Loki would chain Tony to bed and whip his chest and upper thighs and then lick it all, soothingly. The way Tony could drive Loki up the wall in sheer  _need_.

Yes, they enjoyed their games…

————————

¹No one ever did, Loki’s glare was just too frightening.

²Penthouse, really, fairly well furbished and with anything a God of Chaos and Mayhem could have ever asked for. Second only to his room in Asgard.

³Stark Laptop, state of the art with runes engraved in the back which often made Thor frown at them.


	19. Chapter 19

**Not part of the 30-Day OTP Challenge**

One of the things Loki is most fascinated with, is Tony’s arc reactor. It’s not because it’s shiny, or because it maintains Tony alive, it’s because of the element inside it, and how it came to be.

Vibranium.

Which Tony had made all by himself.

Loki did admit to himself - if not to anyone else - that he did admire his lover for that. Tony’s ability to come out on top, to remain the favourite son¹, to be on top, bright, golden, envied.

Had Loki been the same person he was when he had spoiled Thor’s coronation, he knew he would be a jealous little shit, and probably spoil what he had now. As it is, falling through space and time and stars being born and dying, black holes swallowing his very being…  _Thanos_. Well, it forces a person to grow up and appreciate what one has.

And Loki does, in his own way, appreciate Tony. The Golden Avenger is his… and, for now, in a show of selflessness, it’s all he asks…

To Tony, Loki is also fascinating. The way his bright eyes close in the throes of passion, his fingers sparkling with an abundance of magic, his glistening forehead and satisfied face right next to his.

If Tony sometimes watches Loki sleep, and presses kisses to his hands, neither of them says anything.

————

¹on odd Tuesdays, or whenever Stark Industries released a new product, or when Tony gave a press conference.


	20. Chapter 20

**No part of the 30-day OTP Challenge**

It is a funny circle, Loki thinks as he moves away from Tony’s tower, casually dressed in a black and white three-piece.

It’s funny how a person comes to matter… how they weave themselves into one’s heart, how they manage to be the highlight of one’s day.

Him and Tony are enemies. They’re too alike, too similar to possibly get along.

Loki sighs as he adjusts his tie.

And yet… and  _yet_ …

They both know Loki is lying whenever he tells Tony there are no deeper feelings, that things haven’t changed, that they’re still enemies, that a simple fuck doesn’t change that.

For being the god of lies, Loki’s lips never really lie when they’re tasting Tony’s.


	21. Chapter 21

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Minifill for this prompt: http://norsekink.livejournal.com/8802.html?thread=17920866#t17920866

Loki blinked as he stared at the unfamiliar stars, his mouth hanging slightly open at the sight of the big building in front of him. It had a single, rather plain A hanging and all around him people were slowly backing away.

  
He had no idea why.  
  
Where was he? Who were those people? Which species was this?  
  
He could vaguely, vaguely remember how human kind used to look before the war, and the people now running away from him [him of all people!] resembled them a great deal. But it was impossible! The war had happened hundreds and hundreds of years ago, and the humans nothing but the scum of the realms, skulking the edge of the worlds in a quest for food and shelter and destruction.  
  
He shook his head, turning to look around himself. Maybe they were…. but…  _No,_  he thought,  _they definitely look like the humans of old._  He frowned, looking at the ones currently approaching him, these ones resembled the so called heroes, the catalysis for the higher war. Impossible!  
  
“Loki!” The one wearing blue and white and red shouted, coming closer. His circular shield seemed to tickle his memory, a fleeting image, a random thought, a whisper of a time long long long since gone. Loki shook his head again, confused, he decided there and then to stop approaching Black Holes and their guardians. It never ended up well for him.  
  
“How do you know my name?” He asked, still confused. The realms all knew him as Skywalker, as Judgement, as the One who devours worlds [in his defence it had only happened once, _once_  and it was a rather tiny planet - more like a moon - at the edge of a nearly forgotten solar system where the universe ended and infinity begun.] the ones who called him Loki were a trusted few… “Do I know you?” He narrowed his eyes, suddenly looking at the one in - rather cheap - red armour.  
  
“That’s rich coming from you, your highness…” The person says and Loki’s fairly sure it’s a man, but he knows better than to assume [the women on the Moria system looked like men with soggy breasts and heavy beards!] Also he hasn’t been called that since forever!  
  
“I’m sorry, I’m still kind of lost… who are you people?” He asks.  
  
“The Avengers, Earth’s Mightiest Heroes type of thing?” The person inside the armour asks, “Surely you remember, it wasn’t that long ago since we beat your ass.”  
  
Loki easily catches the tasers and the arrow shot at him, idly making cotton candy of the arrow, which he immediately starts to eat. He notices the ones who shot him look rather put out.  
  
“The Avengers?” He looks skyward for a moment, trying to remember. “Doesn’t actually ring any bells… could you tell me more? I’m fairly certain I’m supposed to remember you, however…” he shrugs, mildly apologetic. It’s not like him to forget things like these! Specially if they sound sort of important.

“Your brother was supposed to take you to Asgard.” The unassuming one in glasses says, and Loki can feel the rage he’s barely keeping inside himself…  
  
“Who? Tyr? Sorry to burst your bubble, but he’s currently on vacation with Freyja.”  
  
“Wasn’t his brother’s name’s Thor?” One of them asks the other, and Loki can’t tell which as his tongue grabs some more of the suggary delight.  
  
“Thor? Thor, Thor, Thor… oh! Him! I haven’t seen him in aeons! And I do mean aeons! Last I’ve heard of him, he allied himself with what was left of the human race for the memory of some ridiculously long-dead friends… all in hopes of ‘restoring the human race to its golden age’ or some nonsense like that. I think, mind you I’m not sure, but I  _think_  Odin banished him to the edge of the universe or something…” Loki blinked, staring at the Avengers.  
  
The Avengers, confused and annoyed, stared back.  
  
“Wait… you wouldn’t happen to be those friends, would you? Didn’t you get a memo? You’re all supposed to have died about eight Billion years ago!”  
  
The one in red splutters everywhere while the one in blue blanches. Only the red headed woman - and he’s fairly sure it is a woman - frowns, steps forward and asks “What happened to them?”  
  
Loki looks at all of them as if they had grown a second head. “You must have failed History. Seriously?” He sighs, annoyed. “They got a few magical artefacts on earth and activated them. They were not prepared for the higher form of war raged against them.” Loki shrugged, amused. He vaguely remember those days, how he had been such a child, playing with Thor’s toys…  
  
“Oh! You’re  _those_  people” He sneers and promptly turns away from the Avengers… he had forgotten how fun midgard used to be.


	22. Chapter 22

**Not part of the 30-day OTP Challenge**

“You’re late.”

“I was patrolling.”

“The others can do that… I wanted some time alone with my lover.”

“What’s the occasion anyway? You’re dressed nicely.”

“It’s nothing… fickle, useless, unneeded things, as your friends so often remind you.”

“You… you heard that.”

“I did.”

“Loki—”

“Sometimes I think of going back to being a supervillain, you know? I think I saw more of you when we were actually fighting than I ever do now.”

“You know I have an obligation with them!”

“I do, I was hoping I was equally important… anyway, goodnight Tony, have fun with your toys.” He knew Tony would run away, would spend the whole night and part of the morning downstairs, creating yet another armour. He wouldn’t judge, he wouldn’t weep, he wouldn’t even think about it.

He just removed the ring from his finger, the pendant from his neck and carefully placed them on an envelope. An envelope Tony would find mid afternoon as he went to shower and change for an event or another.


	23. Chapter 23

Loki tested the chains binding his wrists, sturdy, probably Vibranium. He tested the gag, also sturdy, if a lot less so.

But Loki could work around it, he always could work around things. He licked his lips, feeling the scar tissue around it, of course he could work around obstacles, that’s what he did.

He looked around Central Park, glancing briefly at Iron Man and Banner, Natasha - lovely, lovely Natasha - Barton and Steve. For a first time attack it wasn’t all that bad, he didn’t really count the Destroyer incident to be perfectly honest, that was all for Thor, the city got in the way.

He fought to urge to narrow his eyes at Stark, if there was a way out of this, that way was through him. Bruce was too controlled and the beast inside too powerful to actually be controlled. Well, it would have to be Stark.

Joy.

Thor handed him the Tesseract, and Loki took it. In a moment he was left in Central Park, invisible of course, Thor and the blue thing-y back in Asgard where they belonged and the rest of the Avengers actually leaving.

All right, so he was invisible, but did they actually think Thor would be able to control him?! Thor?! As if…

As Tony, better start calling him Tony now, and Bruce left, Loki hitched a ride, remaining invisible and carefully working around the chains and gag; he was free of the gag by the time Tony left Bruce at his private airport, and had taken in the form of Tony’s assistant.

To go inside her mind was easy, to pretend to be her? Easier… she did the same things he used to do for Thor, but Tony was actually better entertainment than Thor could ever be… Loki did, after all, appreciate a good mind to work with. The real Pepper he sent to an Alternative Universe, giving her the Tony she had always wanted.

It was a win-win situation all around, honestly, they should be thanking him! But Loki had no plans to ever tell anyone of what had actually happened.

And the kisses… ‘the kisses were just a bonus’, he thought as Tony and him played with a hologram of Stark Tower.


	24. Chapter 24

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Minifill for: http://norsekink.livejournal.com/8195.html?thread=16561155&

Loki was sitting on his own throne, on his wing of the castle, frowning thoughtfully. Hela was turning three aeons in a few days, practically a grown woman already [nevermind that she would forever be his baby girl] and Loki needed a gift.

But what to get someone who has it all?

Through the years he had given her the mask to wear and turn herself into an Aesir when called for, had bought her first dresses, had even bought her a pony to ride when she was a little over five years old…

“Brother?” Thor’s voice interrupted his musings and Loki rolled his eyes in annoyance. “Brother we’ve just found reason to believe there is a lost treasure lost in the land of the dead!”

“Fine, go commit suicide then… I’m busy, Thor!” Loki dismissed him with a wave of his hand.

“Loki, Hela’s birthday is coming up.”

“Yes, I know, what do you think I’m busy with?” Loki snapped.

“Maybe the treasure…” Thor said, uncertainly.

“Treasures only have gold and swords and staffs and more gold and precious jewels…” Loki waved his hand again, dismissing Thor’s claims, “My daughter deserves better than that.”

“What? Her own realm? Loki… Loki no,” Thor said, approaching his brother, eyes wide as Loki grinned. “No, no, no no no! It’s madness!”

“As if! Helheimr is governed by Mephysto, I can take him.” Loki dismissed Thor’s claims again grabbing his brother by the lapels of his tunic and giving him an awkward kiss on the thunderer’s forehead. “Brother you are a genius! A realm for my baby, absolutely wonderful!”

“Loki…”

“Don’t let the compliment get to your head, Thor… I’m sure it was just a fluke.” Loki threw over his shoulder as he sauntered away, probably to get ready for the quest.

Thor just stared after him, gaping at Loki’s retreating back, horrified.


	25. Chapter 25

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Originally to fill this: http://norsekink.livejournal.com/8195.html?thread=15868163#t15868163

Everything had gone downhill from the moment Steve had walked into Tony’s garage and found Loki there as well, trading theories and knowledge. Without a thought, Steve had called Fury and they had arrested Tony for treason as soon as Loki had left.

  
Pepper had temporarily fled the house and, when they finally found her - rather she had sent a message to them from her nice and lavish office - she had dumped two pounds of paper on their laps.  
  
“Ms. Potts, you’re under suspicion of treason.” Fury said while Coulson glanced at the papers. It  _couldn’t_  be!  
  
“Suspect all you like, Colonel Fury.” Pepper had said. “Meanwhile I want you to exit Stark Tower and give back every single equipment Tony lend you, and that includes Captain Rogers’ shield.”  
  
“Excuse me?”  
  
“Neither of you are deaf, don’t make me repeat myself.”  
  
“Ms. Potts,” Coulson started, only to be interrupted again by Pepper.  
  
“I need you both to understand something,” she stated, leaning back on her chair and staring them both in the eye, “I work for Anthony Stark. I don’t work for SHIELD and neither am I a member of the government. That job comes along with taking care of all his and his company’s interests and his chosen lover’s business as well.” She smirked at them, red lips tilting infuriatingly upwards in the face of Fury’s glare. “You didn’t really think Tony took Loki as a lover without talking to me first, did you?”  
  
Fury narrowed his eyes further while Coulson frantically read through what Potts had given him.  _No, it couldn’t be!_  
  
“Ms. Potts, do you have any idea what you’re doing? Who you’re talking to?” Fury said.  
  
“Of course I do, but that doesn’t change the fact that you did something to Tony, and I’m paid to not let that sort of thing happen.” Oh she knew what had happened, Loki had told her, it had not been pretty. “Let me put it on simple terms,  _Director_ ” she sneered, “if you lift another finger against him, if he gets here with a hair misplaced, I’ll have you burried on paperwork so fast and under such scrutinity from the world that it will make Doctor Octupus villainous acts seem like child play. Not to mention you  **and**  the American Government will be sued due to torture.”  
  
“You can’t do that Madam,” Coulson pleaded.  
  
“Can’t I? You’ll find out that yes, we can. I’ll have all those equipments handed back in perfect condition and the manor empty at the end of the day, thank you.”  
  
“How is he?” Pepper asked the empty room after they had left, her hands now nervously twisting the hem of her shirt.  
  
“He’ll recover, they did a number on him.” Loki said regretfully as he stepped into the room, his fists were clenched beside him and he refused to look at Pepper.  
  
“What happened?”  
  
“Torture.” At Pepper’s gasp he turned his back on her, shaking his own head. Humans were barbarians! “He’s currently resting in my own flat, I expect a full recovery, physical if not yet mental. Ms. Potts, I know you care for him but I’ll ask you to hang on just a while longer while I bring our friend back, whenever he’s ready I’ll bring you up. Meanwhile I’ll have some bodyguards around him. I’ll not put up past SHIELD to try and kidnap and do the same to you as they did Tony.”  
  
“Thank you… take care of him?”  
  
“Always.”  
  
Loki stepped through to his own flat, he had left Tony on his own room, his  _lived in_  room. Tony wouldn’t be able to take sterile spaces for a while. He sat on the bed, fingers threading through Tony’s hair. He couldn’t help but be relieved that he had found him alive. If he hadn’t…  
  
“Loki?” Tony whispered, his voice broken. “This is not a dream, is it?” He tried to curl into himself, shivering, expecting  _something_  to happen.  
  
“It’s not a dream, darling. I’m here, you’re safe.” Loki whispered, leaning forward and taking Tony’s hand on his own. He avoided his eyes, looking down even as he squeezed his fingers. “Look at me… no, don’t avert your eyes, don’t you ever avert your eyes from me.” Loki whispered, kissing his brow, “you won’t ever have to kneel before me, Tony, you won’t ever have to avert your eyes, or shield yourself from me or fear me,” Loki said, finally getting into bed with Tony and drawing him near him, his fingers trailing over the shivering spine.  
  
He would make them pay, he would make them all pay!


	26. Chapter 26

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Because Maverikloki kept giving me ideas!

“Dad!” Sherlock’s voice shouted over the phone and Tony winced at the loud noise coming from his youngest son and the dead silence suddenly at HQ. “Moriarty’s doing it again! And Mycroft’s HELPING him!”

“Calm down, Sherlock and tell me what happened from the beginning!” Tony closed his eyes, leaning against the chair and ignoring everyone looking at him… he smirked when Peter looked at Pepper, horrified and mouthed ‘son?’

“All right, all right, we’ll see about what can be done about Arti and Croft… have you called Mummy yet? hm? And what did he say?”

Tony snorted as the look of downing comprehension on Thor’s face, of course the oaf had heard those names before! Loki had, after all, named their children. Then he looked at Fury, Hill and Coulson and winced… oh yeah, he would have to explain it all to them.

But then again, no… he would let Loki eventually explain it to them. Whenever he felt like it, of course.

“I’ll talk to him, Sherlock. Of course I’ll talk to him… no, no I get it, he’s with Wade, but you’ve always been our priority. No, I’m not involving SHIELD on this, there’s no need. Yes, I know it’s your life, but SHIELD deals with national warfare brought upon us to intergalactical beings, or occasionally by Doom. Besides, I have full confidence you’ll be able to handle this… with or without us.” He smiled as Sherlock fairly preened on the other side, “we will, of course send back up.” He looked pointedly at Pepper, who just nodded.

“All right then, is there anything else? Daddy’s in the middle of a meeting. All right then, talk to you soon.”

Then he hung up and stared at all the people staring at him as if he had sprouted another head. “What?”


	27. Chapter 27

**Word** :  **Brontide**  - The low rumbling of distant thunder.

They were laying on the green field behind Tony’s house, it was almost night and there was the rumbling of thunder which meant incoming rain, instead of things Loki didn’t want to think about.

Tony was fifteen going on sixteen and on his second semester at MIT. He was so tired! It was like everyone was expecting him to be something he isn’t. To be more like his father, to follow his footsteps, to be a womanizer, a genius, a creator… right now all he wanted was to figure out what he actually wanted.

Loki was seventeen, almost eighteen, with a baby horse trailing after him, and all he wanted was to cry and get away. After his sacrifice for Asgard, after fixing something he shouldn’t have to fix in the first place, after getting _caught_  and  _forced_  and returning with a fowl in town he had to bear his own brother laughing cruelly at him, his parents had done nothing about it. Nothing.

In a moment of despair, they wished for companionship. In a moment of madness, Loki took his first step  _elsewhere_.

He ended up in Midgard, of all places, and he almost felt like sneering before realization hit. He was alone in another realm, he was without Thor, without Odin, without Frigga… without  _Slepnir_! He was completely alone. He was free. He smiled before he could stop himself. He blinked. He was in the middle of a street with odd contraptions holding the mortals and some were even looking at him funny.

They met soon after, when Loki was demanding a cup of coffee which Stark eventually paid for. And then Loki decided he didn’t really like coffee.

“When do you have to leave?” Tony asked, voice nothing but a whisper.

“I don’t know… I wish I didn’t have to.”

“But you do…” what he wanted to say was ‘I like you’ and ‘you  _get_  me’ and ‘I don’t want you to go’; but men don’t say that, no flowery speech, no show of emotions; Instead he asked “will I see you again?” it’s not until much, much later in life that he’ll learn that what he doesn’t say is just as important as what he does say.

“Maybe?” Loki half-asked, half-said. “I’m not sure when Father will come and get me… but he surely has noticed that I’m not where I’m supposed to be.”

“Are they that strict? And how could they find you?” Tony asked, frowning, wondering what sort of device would allow that.

“We have our ways.” Another voice answered, deep and old and they both scrambled to see a man making his way to them.

“Father!”

“That’s your dad? You look nothing alike!” Tony said. It won’t be until much later that they’ll see the irony of that statement.

“Come, Loki. It’s time to go home, your mother is worried.” Loki nodded, getting to his feet. It felt like the weight was coming back to him, the heaviness of responsibility, of have a [unwanted] child depend on him.

He fisted his hands so he could ignore how they trembled, and ignored the way his eyes stung with tears that would only be shed in the darkest of dark, while alone.

“Wait!” Tony scrambled to his feet, looking between Odin and Loki and back again, sixteen year old face set with determination. “Can’t Loki stay? For the summer?”

Loki’s face whipped back to look at him, eyes wide in wonder. Why would Tony want him to…

“Stay?” Odin said. frowning in puzzlement.

“Yes! Just for the summer… he’s eighteen already! He doesn’t need to stay at home everyday the whole day!”

“And his duties?” Odin asked, amused. Then he looked at his youngest, the eyes wide with adoration and relief.

“It’s only two months, I’m sure he can make up for it when he goes back, right Loki?”

“Oh… oh yes!” Loki said, eyes wide with sudden excitement. Even two months out of Asgard would be a relief! It wouldn’t necessarily change anything, but it would be such a relief! But then he looked at Odin, it would never happen.

Odin just looked at his son, seeing the rapid change from adoration to excitement to longing and to disappointment…

“Dad and I will take good care of him! He doesn’t even need clothes, we’ll buy him some!”

“And why would I let my son stay with you?” Odin asked, looking down his nose at the boy. He had already made up his mind.

“Because… because… because he’s my friend.” The whisper was faint, but Odin still heard it.

“I suppose… it is only two months afterall.” Odin said, and was surprised by his son suddenly hugging him and thanking him profusely. It is the very last time it happens, and much later Odin will think of his then future actions with regret.

As it was, the boys went inside the abode together, the youngest talking about introducing Loki to tea since he didn’t like coffee and Loki wondering how the technology worked on Midgard.

It is a summer with unforeseen consequences.


	28. Chapter 28

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm probably not continuing this one, so don't ask!

Tony had, of course, expected to be rescued. But not like this. Not by Fandrall of all people. Loki’s… something or other. He had no idea what they were, and he didn’t really want to find out, when he had let Loki go… It had been years now… No, best not to think about it.

The trip to Asgard was uneventful, Heimdall had opened the Bifrost, as usual, and Fandrall led Tony through. Travelling between different realities was… not as mind-warping as he had thought.

“He’s a mortal,” Heimdall says, eyeing Tony with distrust and veiled disgust.

“Our prince told me to bring him,” Fandrall says, and the guardian let’s them through.

Asgard… is not what he had expected and yet it is. It’s the golden city all right! But there’s so much unexplainable stuff! For a moment Tony thinks it’s magic holding the statues up, but it can’t be, it must be a forcefield because Tony cannot believe in magic, even after all those times with Loki and all those fights with Amora, he can’t let himself believe in magic.

The highest building - the castle-slash-fortress - is where Fandrall takes him and it is where Loki is. They completely bypass what Tony supposes is the throne room, Fandrall leading him to a set of double door. It’s the library.

Loki’s sitting by the window, a book held loosely on his hand, his face turned to look at whatever was going on on the other side.

“Hello, Stark.” Loki says, without turning around.

“Tony,” he says, and gets a nod in return, that’s all he can expect.

“You can leave us, Fandrall.”


	29. Chapter 29

**Not part of the 30-day OTP Challenge**

**A/N: Vali makes an appearance, along with Jormungand!**

They’re making out, Tony has his tongue shoved into Loki’s throat, their hands are all over each other, shirts open, Loki’s hand is kneading his butt, he has his thigh pressed against Loki’s own hardness. Tony lets go of Loki’s mouth, kissing his throat, nibbling his earlobe “I l—”  
  
“Dad!” Comes a shout from somewhere in the boat. The boat where there’s only the two of them. The boat where they had sequestered themselves away from S.H.I.E.L.D. and Thor, and why the fuck is someone else there?!  
  
Loki sighs, clearly put upon, but he gets up anyway. It’s a simple matter to snap his fingers and have their clothes back to their previous pristine selves. Tony hates that, he wants Loki on his lap, with little to no clothes, making him scream in ecstasy as they enjoy each other. Instead…  
  
“Vali? What are you doing here, love?” There’s a young teenager near the steering wheel. Blond, green eyes - Loki’s eyes - and almost as tall as his father, gangly in the way only teens can be.  
  
“Freya was being mean again!” The teen pouts. Tony has the vague idea that the teenager in front of him is older than all the Avengers and superheroes around the world together [except, of course, Thor]  
  
“Was she now?” Loki asks, drawing the teen to his side in a one-armed hug, “what did she do? Or are you just skipping magical lessons?”  
  
“Well…” Suddenly the teen - Vali - is embarrassed. And Loki just kisses his forehead like a dotting parent. Tony had absolutely no idea Loki was this… parental. [Though he might have had if he had bothered to ask Thor]  
  
“You need those lessons, Love. You can’t go trampling around Svartalfaheimr and Alfheimr without those lessons!”  
  
“But I want to learn it from you!”   
  
“And you will, but first you have to get over the basics. Even your uncle Thor knows the basics, though the great brute never bothered to learn anything else.”  
  
“But dad! Freya is mean… she keeps saying mean things about you!”  
  
“Then I will handle her, for now…”  
  
“Can I stay here with you?!” Vali asks and, when Loki turns around to ask Tony - his face vaguely apologetic for interrupting their time together - Vali turns too, glaring at him with all the childish jealousy and rage of a young teenager God, and holy fuck! What the hell did he get himself into?! Tony manages what passes by agreement, and is mystified when Loki turns back only to see Vali smiling beautifully at him. Tony would be able to draw wings and a halo over the kid.  
  
As he turns and goes back to the deck, leaning against the rail and into the waters, he swears he sees a big body  _moving_  near and underneath his boat. And he remembers that Loki has an older child, a giant snake that calls the oceans his home.  
  
“Vali, who told you I was here?” He hears Loki ask inside the Yacht.  
  
“Well, you see I went looking for you, but then uncle Thor told me…”  
  
Well…  _fuck!_


	30. Chapter 30

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapters 30 & 31 go together, so be sure to read that!

**Exclusive Rights**

Tony had never sworn fidelity, had never sworn to be only Loki’s, had never told him Loki was his be all, end all.

So when they have a fight, both storm off in a huff, Loki to Asgard-knows-where and Tony to his favourite bar in Malibu, he’s not exactly surprised to wake up to a face that’s not Loki sleeping next to him.

He was still mad at Loki, so when the mage showed up in his room, only to glance at Stark and whats-her-name in entwined in supposed sleep, the only response Tony gives him is an arched eyebrow and a polite inquiry “Yes?”

“I never promised you anything, we’re not together, Loki, I don’t  _do_ relationships.” He said to Loki’s betrayed face, and if his heart thudded in his chest, so what?

Loki leaves. It’s no wonder he leaves, Tony wanted him to. He doesn’t  _do_ relationships, he doesn’t fall in love, he doesn’t regret it, he doesn’t miss Loki’s green eyes.

Tony’s good at denial like that.

If he takes to drinking again, so what? If all his lovers have green eyes, so what? If he had texted Loki only to be denied, so fucking  _what_?!

Loki maintains his word: No destruction, no magic.

They meet again, of course they meet again, the world is not exactly big despite having over seven billion people in it. He sees Loki in a café, reading, those long, thin fingers caressing the pages as he mouthed the words. It’s a habit he has and Tony had no idea he missed it until he saw it again.

He sees how Loki’s eyes light up, a sincere smile on his lips as he looks at someone and for the first time it dawns on him that the person Loki is smiling at is not him.


	31. Chapter 31

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapters 30 & 31 go together! Don't forget

**Obsessive Things**

The fact that Loki was smiling shouldn’t have bothered Tony. Shouldn’t have left his heart thudding so hard behind the arc reactor, by all rights he shouldn’t be as enraged as he was. He should’ve forgotten already. Should have. But didn’t. Couldn’t, wouldn’t be able to forget Loki’s amused smiles, the way his eyes wrinkled when he was happy, the way he gesticulated when he talked about something he found interesting, how his face lost all traces of stress and age as he slept.

Tony consciously smothered his features, aware that Loki could feel when someone was glaring at him or his… date. Date. Tony hated whoever invented that word, he had no idea that the thought of Loki dating someone else could churn his stomach like that.

He watched as a hooded and gloved man sat with his dei- no… Loki wasn’t his anymore was he? Tony had made sure of that. He ground his teeth as looked as some other man - it was definitely a man - and Loki shared coffee and cupcakes. He snorted in disgust. Loki didn’t even like sweets. Or did he? Tony couldn’t remember.

Without considering his actions he stormed into the café, ordering whatever and then dragging a chair to the table Loki and the intruder were sitting by. He wouldn’t help but notice that Loki’s eyes became guarded at the sight of him.

“T- Stark?” Loki asked, and Tony smirked in triumph at the slip of tongue.

“Loki,” Tony greeted then extended a hand to the mysterious companion, extending a hand, “Tony Stark,”

“Yes, I know.” The man said, ignoring Tony’s hand.

Loki stared at before rolling his eyes, sitting back on his chair but nowhere near as relaxed as he was at first.

“What is it?” He asked. “You’re here after months of silence, what do you want?”

They stared at each other, before a snort from the hooded stranger, who was already getting up, taking Loki’s hand in his and  _damn it!_

“He obviously wants to talk to you, Loki. We’ll talk later.” The stranger brought Loki’s hands near his face, an obvious kiss, and Tony couldn’t help but narrow his eyes.

“Wade…”

“I’ll see you later.”

“Fine… fine… what do you want Stark?!” Loki snarled, his green eyes narrowed in annoyance.

It had, all in all, been a long time since Tony had been lost for words. He knew that no matter what he said, Loki would say no.

“I’m not your fall back on lover, Stark” Loki said, hands busy with coffee and book.

“I don’t do relationships.” He replied automatically, “I do obsessions.”


	32. Chapter 32

**Prompt: Pyjamas**

"But I don't want to!" Al stomped his feet, the five year old glaring at the onesie with all the fury a five year old could muster.

To his parents it meant a little boy pouting and frowning at the blue onesie Loki was holding. He was wet, dark hair dripping on his dad's shirt, enveloped in a fluffy towel as Tony carried the child away to their rooms. This talk had been going on since Al had started school.

They were thankfully wrong in doubting Al could make friends despite who his parents were. Al had a lot of friends, and none of them uses onesies because they were childish, and Albert Stark was a man!

Loki was kind of tired listening to 'But Jason doesn't do that!' and 'Jason says it's baby stuff' and anything concerning Jason Richards, really.

"Jason is not here, Al." Loki said patiently, he didn't want to be in Tony's place, holding the hellion that had replaced their boy. He knew he had been just as bad at that age. [at least according to Odin anyway] "And anyway, you've always loved this one from Adventure Time." 

"I know but... but Jason said-"

"You, little man, have to understand that Jason is not always right. In this instance, for example." Tony said, patting the tiny body with his hands, drying up Al. "One, You can't keep your socks on while you sleep, you keep moving around. Two, you have the same case of cold feet your dad does and three," Tony paused, helping his son dress for bed, the boy still pouting over the onesie. "No, I don't have a number three, do you?" He asked looking at Loki.

"No, not really." Loki said, smiling. "Ready for your pyjamas?" He asked, showing the little onesie.

"But I don't want to! That's kids stuff!" Al pouted, crossing his arms. Tony crossed his arms back, frowning.

"You are a kid." He said.

"I'm not! You called me a man!" Al pouted. 

"Well," Loki interrupted, before any tears were involved, "if you're a man, you don't need your pyjamas." Loki nodded, winking at Tony when his lover tried to intervene.

"That's right, see dad! Dad agrees!" Tony grimaced in response, looking from Al to Loki and back again.

"As a grown man, you won't need Mr. Duffle too, I believe, neither will you need that mini quinjet Barton gave you." Loki nodded to himself, as if coming to a decision and pretending not to see his son's horrified face.

"But... But..."

"Grown men don't use plushies to sleep, neither do they play with toys. That's kids stuff."

"But... No." Al whispered, pout dissolving into a miserable look, tugging at Loki's heart strings.

"Yes, neither dad or I sleep with plushies, you know that. And we don't get bedtime stories either, do we elskan?" Loki asked his lover, blinking in apparent innocence.

"We do not." Tony agreed.

"But... I want to know what happened to Mr. Rogers!" Al said, eyes brimming with tears.

"But you just said you were a grown up! How can that be, love?"

"Then I want to be a kid!" Al cried, the first tears beginning to fall, he lifted his arms, which Loki willingly accepted, picking up his kid and quickly drying his tears.

"Then you get to wear pyjamas, all right?" Tony said, joining in the cuddles, feeling Albert nod between them. He sighed, rolling his eyes at his lover, first crisis averted.

He could barely wait until Al was a teenager.


	33. Chapter 33

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For Runic, who asked for a FrostIron drabble based on 'nurse me'

How do you heal a mortal god?

How do you deal with one used to life, to youth, to _health_?

Tony was no nurse, he was no doctor, sure he could pay exorbitant amounts to get the best - and he had - but some things were just beyond earth's best healers. Some things were just puzzling, and they had no answers.

Perhaps what bothered him the most was that _he_ had no answers, none! Loki was sick, Loki, once immortal, once vigorous, once one who stood proud, towering over mortals... had succumbed to sickness. He could touch none, could breathe naught but sterilised air, eat naught but bland sterilised food.

It had happened suddenly, they had been happy, as happy as someone once thought immortal could be as a regular man, Loki had crumbled one day, had been put in a glass cage, like the one from way before, this one to protect him and not keep him prisoner. At the end, it was the same thing.

Tony touched the glass cage with a hand, caressing the transparent barrier as he would Loki's face.

"Hey lover," Loki muttered, voice rough, too rough even as he smiled. His skin was red, as if he was suffering from second degree burns, some spots were oozing, Tony refused to name it.

"Hey," he whispered back, touching he glass, it was the closest they could get. It was the closest they had gotten in two months. "I'm sorry." He whispered as Loki got up, touching the other side of the glass.

"Nothing to be sorry for," Loki whispered, trying to wet his lips with his parched tongued. "There's no hope left for me, darling." He said, looking away.

"There must be, this can't be the end, not when... Not..." Tony trailed off, pressing his forehead to the glass. The words hung between them, _'not when I just found you, not when you complete me the way you do, not when you_ get _me.'_

"This is the end, I'm sorry." Loki whispered, "I'm sorry we had so little time, I'm sorry we," _'couldn't be together longer, I'm sorry I was so stubborn, I'm sorry I couldn't take you away. I’m sorry I’m mortal now.'_

"I know, and you have nothing to be sorry for either." Tony whispered back. He leaned back, looking over his shoulder, "doctor banner, would you be so kind as to open the cage?"

"Tony, no." Loki whispered, shaking his head.

"He's right," Bruce agreed looking away from the stats and up at the divided couple. "You shouldn't, we have no idea if what he had is contagious, if you could get it, if you make his disease worse."

"This could be the last chance I have to be with my lover, doc. Don’t deny me.” He said with a self-depreciating smile to Bruce.

“Tony, no.” Loki repeated, shaking his head, stepping away from the glass.

“Just wait for me please.” Tony said, stepping behind Bruce, to a hidden chamber connected to the cage. It took time to make a human being as sterilised as they could be

“Tony…” Loki warned, stepping away, voice as hard as he could get. He sounded like an old man, voice raspy as if his throat was too dry.

“It’s ok, lover. It might be my last chance to dance with you.” He whispered, he watched as Loki stepped away, the skin tightening as his muscles flexed, some wounds opening on his arms and between his fingers, blood slowly oozing from them.

“Please don’t, I might contaminate you.”

“Or I you.” Tony shrugged, “it’s been a little over two months now since I stopped touching you. I know you have given up so let me have this.” He whispered, stepping closer, extending his hand, palm up. “May I have this dance?”

Loki looked at him, eyes lost, searching for something in his eyes.

Tony let him look, let himself drop all the masks, let himself forget that Bruce was watching, that SHIELD, the medical staff, Pepper, Steve, Jim, Thor… they were all watching…

Loki dropped his eyes to Tony’s hand, slowly putting his hand above the mad inventor’s, his knuckles slowly oozing blood.

“Do you remember the first song we danced to?” He asked quietly.

“I do, last time I lead the dance.” Loki smiled, just an upturn of the lips, even so Tony could see the skin tighten at the edges, and his heart gave a painful twist.

“Let me lead this time, then.” Tony whispered, taking Loki’s hand in his in a practiced move, the other on his hip, steady, strong. He hated how weak his lovers felt underneath those clothes.

He begun to hum quietly, just moving gently from side to side, when he begun, his voice was thick with the tears held back in his throat. “That old black magic has me in its spell, that old black magic that you weave so well. Those icy fingers up and down my spine.”

“The same old witchcraft when your eyes meet mine.” Loki completed, eyes closed, their foreheads touching as Loki bend down a little, Tony let his thumb run over the bloodied knuckles, eyes closed as he whispered just for the two of them.

“That same old tingle I feel inside, and then that elevator starts its ride. And down and down I go, all around I go, like a leaf that's caught in the tide.” He continued, kissing Loki’s cheek.

“Well I should stay away, but what can I do?” Loki half sang, half asked as they move from side to side, cheek to cheek.

“I hear your name and I'm aflame Aflame with such a burning desire that only your kiss can put out the fire.” Tony smiled, drawing his deity into a chaste kiss, running his fingers over inflamed yet sharp cheeks, eyes closed as he felt the skin peel away under his fingertips.

“You're the lover I have waited for, you’re the mate that fate had me created for.” Tony continued, feeling his throat close for a moment, holding back the tears as he caressed the face he loved. Had he ever told Loki that? He couldn’t remember.

“And every time your lips meet mine, darling, down and down I go, round and round I go” Loki whispered against Tony’s lips, he could feel the skin peeling back, could feel some wounds opening again though they did not ooze blood.

“In a spin, I’m loving the spin I'm in, under that old black magic called love.” Tony ended with a sigh, pulling away for a look, his eyes going wide as he looked at Loki.

“Can you feel when I do this? Do you feel any pain?” He asked, running his thumb over reddened skin. He stared as the skin peeled away to reveal healthy pale skin underneath.

“I can feel the skin pulling, but no pain, why?”

“Because the burns are falling as I touch you.” Tony smiled, touching Loki’s lips and nose and forehead with his fingers, leaving a mix of reddened and healthy skin.

“Don’t jest.”

“I’m not, Bruce,” Tony raised his voice, not taking his eyes away from his lover, “can you get a reading on what the fuck’s going on?”

“I can… the skin is really peeling away, like a regular sunburn. I’ve no idea what you just did, but keep doing it!”

“I’ve no idea either.” Tony half-laughed, rubbing Loki’s face with his fingers until only healthy skin remained.

“What does it look like?” Loki asked, voice skin croaked, still rough.

“It looks like you’re gonna be all right.”


	34. Dancing

They have been dancing around for ages. The same old game of push and shove and tease and want.

Tony thought Loki wanted the same thing, he had always been good at reading people - he had known when Pepper wanted a permanent break, when Natasha and Clint were in one of their separation period, when Thor and Jane had broken up - but then Loki wasn’t a person, well not a human person anyway.

He could feel his blood slowly freeze, his stomach clench, his heart stop beating all together. He had thought Loki wanted the same as him but was too shy or too ashamed to ask. He thought he wanted what Tony wanted, to drown in kisses, melt in their embrace, to feel aflame with a glance…

But… no. Loki liked someone else.

It had started simple enough, Loki had appeared in his lab, asked to talk to Tony and had simply said “I think I’m falling in love with someone.” He had fidget, glancing around. “What should I do?”

It couldn’t be him, Loki would’ve said so if it was him. Would have given him a clearer sign. Tony could feel his stomach dropping, and for a moment wished that the arc reactor would stop functioning - it wouldn’t, Tony had built it himself - it would be a kinder way to die than to see the person he loved surrender to someone else.

“Tony?” Loki asked, looking worried.

“I think you should tell them.” Tony said, voice as steady as he could make under the circumstances.

This had heartbreak written all over it. Heartbreak for him at least, and Tony was enough of a masochist to wonder who it would be.

It couldn’t be Clint, their archer still had issues with Loki - and always would specially with Loki making light of the brain control.

It couldn’t be Steve. Steve was too good, too  _boring_  to attract Loki’s attentions.

It couldn’t be Natasha, they didn’t see eye-to-eye.

It couldn’t be Thor. Because.. ew! Incest!

“Just.. just tell them?” Loki asked, uncharacteristically nervous.

“Yeah, sure.the most they could say is ‘no’ and no one has ever died of love.” He smiled a bit, trying for friendly, but he had his suspicions it might have come out as pained.

“I’m unsure… I’ve never… I’ve never paid this much attention to a mortal human before so I’m unsure.” Loki shrugged, again going against expectations, looking vulnerable. Tony hated that he might not be the only one who saw that side of Loki.

“Just… just tell them.” Tony said, turning around to face his equations, to hide his heart, and then back at the trickster. “I’m sure they would feel honoured to get your attentions.”

“You think?” Loki asked, sceptical.

“Yes.” Tony knew he would at the very least.

“You sure?”

“Yes! Just do it. Tell them!” Tony said, exasperated.

“Fine, I shall.” Loki sighed, getting up. Tony turned his back to the trickster god, concentrating on his work. He was sure he would find out soon enough who was the lucky person to draw Loki’s attention. He knew it wasn’t him…

He felt an arm on his chest, drawing him close, the smell of rain and grass and something he could only call magic teasing his senses. He closed his eyes, feeling his heart skip another beat. Loki wouldn’t be so cruel as to give him hope, to give him-

“Tony Stark.” Loki interrupted his thoughts, Tony could feel one his hands shaking, “I find myself drawn to you, attracted to your wit, your genius. I find I can’t quite spend the day without at least glimpsing at you, I find that the only thing I can feel is my heart trying to match yours beat by beat. I can’t help but falling incorrigibly in love with you. You’ve captivated me from the second glance I took, you’ve made me fall so hard I’m still trying to find my way but I’m afraid to be utterly lost without you.”

Tony could feel Loki’s hands trembling, his voice loosing some of it’s smoothness, nervous.

“Tony… would you… would you give me the honour to hold your heart? I’m afraid I’ve carelessly handed mine to you.”

Tony snorted, turning around to face the trickster, looking into green eyes. “You’re an ass.” He muttered, cupping Loki’s face, the other hand on his hair. “You keep asking for things you already have.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Prompt was: Imagine Person B of your OTP telling Person A they like someone, which instantly makes Person A sad, but wants Person B to be happy. Person A encourages Person B to confess and Person B does so to Person A.


	35. Chapter 35

**Prompt** : Dancing  
 **Author** : Wynter  
 **Fandom** : Marvel  
 **OTP** : Loki/Tony Stark

They were eavesdropping the party, watching as the men and women danced around, how some of the men joined in groups, jesting, the women in bigger groups, also laughing while some made googly eyes to the men.

They weren’t allowed to join the party, Tony’s mum had said it was for adults only!

Which was a big fat lie! They were big enough already! Tony was eleven and Loki was ten! They were big enough! And if the party was for adults only why did  _Thor_  get to go?! He was just eighteen, him and Sif! There was no reason why they got to go and not Tony and Loki!

They were watching from the balcony as Loki’s parents - Odin and Frigga - danced to the sound of strings, Tony’s parents - Howard and Maria - were enjoying a sparkling drink by the corner of the room, trading kisses.

“They keep doing that, i keep telling dad about girl-germs, but he still does that!” Tony complained, pouting. He had painted a beard on his face with a special paint he had found on his dad’s workshop, and had forced Loki to wear his church pants, since they were nice.

“Mine do that too, Thor keeps complaining.” Loki agreed, holding a cup of white grape juice. If they couldn’t join the party, they would make their own!

“Girl-germs, man, girl-germs!”

“I still think Sif is the worse though. She keeps trying to kill my brother by shoving her tongue on his throat.”

“No way! Don’t your parents say anything about that?!” Tony asked, eyes wide in shock, “she’s trying to kill him!”

“They just tell them to stop doing that in front of me. They should tell them to stop doing it all together!”

“Or send Sif to prison! She’s trying to kill your brother in front of your parents!” Tony said, taking a sip of his juice like he had seen his dad do a number of times.

“I tried telling them that! Thor just laughed at me and dad told me in a few years I would understand. Understand what? That she’s killing Thor bit by bit? I even heard them once you know!” Loki leaned forward, whispering, “they were in Thor’s room and he kept saying ‘you’re killing me, you’re killing me’ and when I told mum she didn’t do anything!” Loki hissed, putting his juice on the side and crossings his arms,

“No way man! Seriously?”

“Yeah! They didn’t do anything!” Loki said, looking down at the party, watching as Odin led his wife to the table with the sparkling juice and Howard and Maria took to the floor, Tony’s parents twirling around the floor to a fast beat.

“Do you think we’ll ever be allowed at the grown ups party?” Loki asked, shuffling closer to the rail so he could see better.

“Why? Do you wanna dance?” Tony asked, looking as serious as an eleven year old with a painted beard could look.

“Now? Just us?”

“Yeah, no one’s watching and look even Thor and Sif are dancing.”

“As long as she doesn’t try to kill Thor…” Loki trailed off, staring dubiously at the couple. Sif did look pretty but still… Loki knew she would attempt to kill Thor by the end of the night.

“Come on then!” Tony said, pulling Loki to his feet, putting one hand on Loki’s waist and holding their hand together with his left one. Loki just rolled his eyes, putting his right hand on Tony’s shoulder. They shad a moment of silence before Tony asked, “how do we do this?”

“I think we just sway?” Loki said, frowning.

They tried, each going a different side, stopping and giggling.

“I think we should imitate my parents… Look they’re dancing slower now.” Tony said, pointing bellow. Loki stared for a while and nodded, swaying to the right, Tony going along with him, then to the left. Then Tony tried to step forward, stepping on Loki’s toes, causing both of them to fall to the floor, giggling.

“What Re you two doing there?” Balder, Loki’s fifteen year old brother, asked as he stepped on the balcony, overlooking the party. He glanced at his baby brother and at the Stark heir, fighting the urge to laugh at the painted face that had rubbed off on Loki when they had fallen.

“We’re dancing.” Tony said, staring defiantly at the older boy.

“I can see that, a bit late though, don’t you think?”

“No!” Tony shouted, crossing his arms over his chest.

“Do you know how to dance, Dur? Tony doesn’t.” Lokiasked.

“I do too! You do t know how to dance!”

“All right, all right! I can teach you both how to dance! But now let’s go to my room, it has better music.” Balder laughed, grabbing the brats. Loki complaining all the way about how Sif would kill Thor.


	36. Chapter 36

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Prompt was: I just have this idea about Tony being secretly the leader of the biggest crime syndicate and then somehow - after Avengers - teaming up with Loki. As Loki want's to meddle with the big crime-boys.

The music blared on the speakers, the room was dark, dance lights across the floor, the others were lost in the middle of the sea of people. He could see Steve being ganged up by a group of girls - the goody-two-shoes in the club - the red face could be seen even in the darkness when the lights crossed Steve.

The mass of people were dancing all under him. From his point of view he could also see Clint slowly fucking Natasha on one of the dark corners where the light could not reach. Tony had made the room with two or three spots like that on purpose, he liked to watch the others coming undone and thinking no one could see them.

Fools.

Doctor Banner was on the bar, getting as drunk as one could make him.

Loki wanted him dead, and he could understand why in a sense, it was a pity though; they had just met.

“Are you satisfied?” Tony turned at the question, seeing the god sitting on the rails of the catwalk in front of him.

“As much as I can be, yes.” Tony replied, smirking as he walked to the god, he knew Loki let him do whatever he wanted at the price of only his soul. In his mind it wasn’t that much to pay, considering he still had a millennium or two at his disposal.

“The world is yours, your so called heroes will be so fucking corrupted that they won’t see the light of day anymore, that little organization will be falling on their knees soon enough. Do you need anything else?” Loki asked, taking hold of Tony’s face, planting kisses on his cheek as Tony pressed closer.

He glanced down, looking at Pepper, surrounded by males giving her the attention she rightly deserved. He had made it happen that way, Tony was his now.

“To make my victory complete? I want to own you.” Tony replied, hands slipping under Loki’s shirt, pinching lightly.

“All right,” Loki agreed, bringing Tony closer, their breaths mingling. “But I want you to fuck me on top of our enemies.”

“It will be my pleasure.”


	37. Chapter 37

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Prompt was: Avengers Movie-- Loki had been snatched away from the Jet just when Tony was going to approach him ambiguously. Fight in the wood, yadda yadda, and once on the Helicarrier, Tony manages to shut down the cameras for a little while to make a deal, finally, with the local God of Mischief.

It hadn’t been a spur of the moment thing. Despite what others would suggest, Tony didn’t do things at random, he weighted out the pros and cons and the probability of things going his way before he acted. After Afghanistan things had been chaotic and Tony had needed to feel in control.

It still felt that way, the need to be in control all the time, the need to have people dancing to his tune like puppets…

It was the reason he wanted to talk to Loki. He wanted to know what the god was up to, he wanted to know what would happen now, he needed to know.

That’s why he had JARVIS start the feed-looping on the cameras as he talked to Loki. He had about five minutes before someone found out.

“It takes someone much subtler than you to catch me off guard.” Loki said and Tony smirked.

“Yes, well, she’s coming in a few minutes, try to give her a good time will you?” Tony said, standing in front of the glass cage, arms crossed and feet apart. Pepper called it his power instance. “I want to know what your game is.”

They stared at each other for moment, Loki arching an eyebrown in incredulity and Tony staring at the so-called god’s eyed.

“That’s forward of you.”

“Yes, I want to know the kind of wreck I can expect from you and when you’ll be leaving.”

“And you expect me to just… go along with it? Just tell you my plans, Mr. Stark?”

“No, but I have a deal for you.” Tony said, not relaxing his instance.

“What could you possibly offer me?” Loki asked, tilting his head to the side.

“The world itself. It’s mine, people are still oblivious about it, but it is mine so if you’re gonna play with it, I wanna know what you’re gonna do.”

“Unless I’m very much mistaken, this world lives on a semblance of democracy, except for some nations of course, so there’s no true leader, why should I believe you?”

“I might not be the official leader, but the leaders themselves? They better listen to me, for their own sanity, if not the peace of their nations.” Tony snorted, his mouth curling in a little smile. He took a step back, bowing to Loki with all the pompousness that had been stilled in him since he was a babe. “The Merchant of Death, at your service.”

Loki quirked an eyebrow, offering a bow himself, “Loki Laufeyson, God of Mayhem and Fire, trickster, Lie-smith, silver-tongue, sky-walker and shapeshifter.”

“That’s an awful lot of titles.” Tony said, crossing his arms again.

“They’re all on wikipedia, I’ve got many, many more.” Loki shrugged, straightening himself and staring at Stark again. “What kind of deal do you want to make?”

“The kind which I let you play with my toys, even if you do break some, as long as  _you’re_  the only one here. I don’t want anyone else on my backyard.”

“What do I get in exchange?”

“I don’t drop your cage.”

“Not good enough.” Loki muttered, suddenly behind Tony. The engineer felt his blood freeze in his veins as he stared for a moment at the cage before he turned to Loki. The cage was empty.

“What do you want then?”

“I want your world, I want certain people in this world dancing to my tune, my puppets, I want to bend and break and twist them so completely that their loved ones won’t recognize them.”

“Name them.”

“Jane Foster, Eric Selvic, Darcy Lewis, Phil Coulson, Bruce Banner, Henry Pym and Steve Rogers.”

“You have them.” Tony glanced at his watch, four minutes, their time was almost up. He looked up again to see Loki back in his cage. “Let’s play at war then.”

“Let’s… I might break a few building in the process though.” Loki said in mock innocence.

“As long as they’re not the R&D department in Stark Tower.” Tony shrugged, walking away, letting JARVIS play the live feed again. He walked back to the lab, smiling at Bruce. He was looking forward to what Loki would do to him.

“What took you so long?”

“Pit-stop to grab something to eat.” He offered the package to Bruce, ignoring Steve walking up to them. He was really curious to know why the deity wanted Captain Fucking America. “Blueberry?”


	38. Unfinished pirate!AU (or How Loki became Jack Sparrow and Tony became Elizabeth Swan)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Pirate AU, not sure if there'll be a continuation to this or not.

"What's the ship name?" The aristocrat asked, eyeing the red-eyed pirate. They had come to the port seeking Natasha's father again, looking among the recently disembarked crew. Instead they has found one of the most wanted men in the world, the red-eyed pirate known only as 'Laufeyson'. Legend said that he could get anywhere, and he had a very, ah, interesting map with him.

"Her name's Frostiron," he said, glancing at the deep blue ship, so dark it looked almost black, "get me a crew and she's yours to command."

"Can you take us to the isle de la Muerte?" Natasha asked, eyeing the pirate with a look of innocence where Tony knew the sword-smith had none.

"Get me a crew and she's yours to command," he repeated, speaking to Natasha, but eyeing Tony. "If you can get me a crew by Midnight, we can set off at dawn tomorrow." He said, stepping away from them silently, getting lost in the crowd easier than Natasha and Barton.

"What do you think?" She asked, gripping Tony's forearm with reasonable strength.

"Can't trust him, he's a pirate."

"Well yes, that's obvious, you think he can get us there and back without further issue?" She asked, though her opinion was already made, Tony could see it in her eyes.

"Yes, I wouldn't trust him as far as I can throw him, but if we can get Clint and Bruce. We might stand a chance, I think it's worth trying." The shamed aristocrat said, leading Natasha out of Port Royale.

"I think so too."

"When do we leave?" Tony asked, grinning.

"What do you mean 'we?'"

"If you think I'm gonna let you do this alone you've got another thing coming, Natasha." He frowned, Natasha's eyes going sky-side in an impressive eye roll, as if she couldn't handle herself.

"And the fact Sir Howard Stark might have a heart attack has nothing to do with it?"

"Maybe, though I hardly think he'd care." Tony shrugged, stopping again when Natasha stepped on his path.

"Tony?" Natasha stopped him with her tense grip, looking at the man up and down once. "Be careful. I saw the way he was looking at you."

"Natasha what?"

"Don't play the fool, you're much too smart for that." She warned, frowning, "you've already been pardoned for your indiscretions once, they won't do it a second time, specially if there's that sort of pirate involved."

"I've no idea what you're talking about." Tony replied, his voice tense as he tugged his arm free.

"Sure you don't, let us go ask Hammer if he doesn't remember you." She shot back, frowning at her friend. Tony just flinched at the name. "Meet you here at Midnight?" Tony nodded, not meeting her eyes. Natasha knew she would pay for that commend later, but she could take Tony's displeasure. Better than Potts at any rate.

The two exited the pier in Port Royale in different directions. Tony to get Clint, and Natasha to get Bruce. It was always a good idea to keep a physician on the boat.

From the shadows near the gunpowder loot a figure stood, red eyes taking the conversation with a wicked grin on its lips.

Amateurs.

Well, Laufeyson might share some knowledge with the little mortals, teach them to survive the waters of Midgard. Teach them everything he knew.

'Well,' he though with a sly grin, 'maybe not everything.' He closed his eyes, letting the wind and sea take his form away as he stepped out of the realm.

He would be back by midnight.

(~o~)

Howard as away with the first commander - Rogers something or other - when Natasha sneaked in, easily going past Jarvis and into Tony's room. It was neat; representing just one facade of Tony's, the one he presented for the world at large, Natasha knew he wouldn't be here.

She knocked twice on a particular novel - Vingt Mille Lieues Sous les Mers - and felt one of the wooden floor panels give in, becoming a staircase. Natasha had no idea how could Tony do these wonders, but he did, he delighted in the impossible, and she had heard from her father - before his travels had taken him away - that Howard Stark was the same.

"Tony?" She asked, holding up her skirts as she descended to his sanctuary.

"Natasha," Tony replied, voice slightly colder than usual. Natasha hid a wince, she would definitely pay for that Hammer comment. "I'm just finishing preparations and we can go. Are the doctor and Barton ready?"

"Barton's waiting in he pier, the Doctor said he wasn't coming."

"He will, just warn me when you hear him coming." Tony sighed, closing two suitcases, pulling them together and carting them out.

Natasha stared, blinked and wiped her eyes with her fingers and stared some more. "What is that?" She pointed, the cart seemed to be miniaturised, with steel wheels and a handle, holding only the suitcases and why in the name of God was Tony bringing suitcases with him?

"I'm not getting in a pirate ship with no way out." He said as if reading her thoughts, for all that she knew he probably was. She just nodded, knowing that Tony, being Tony, had contingency plans already.

They left Tony's house through the front door, at least that was the plan anyway. The door was locked and Jarvis, thankfully, was nowhere to be found. There was sounds of voices and footsteps coming from Howard's study and, before either of them could hide, the door was shoved open, Captain Roland had fury written in his eyes before he noticed the two of them, Howard closing in on him from the back, stance hard and ready for battle, before his eyes settled on his son and his friend.

"Tony, Natasha, what are you doing here?" His voice was rough, as if he had been shouting.

"Natasha sneaked out from the convent again, father." Tony said, glancing quickly at his shamed-faced friend - he knew it was all a lie and had to admire her skills - he shrugged, as if long suffering he woes of women. "I was about to take her back."

"Is this true? You'd let a lady into your rooms unsupervised?" The Captain said, sounding é scandalised.

"I am to become a nun, Captain, I do not suffer the woes of the flesh, The holy trinity is the only one for me." Natasha relied, curtseying to the elder men before taking a hold of Tony's arm, "I just came by to see to Anthony's inventions they're amusing in and of itself, wouldn't you agree Mr. Stark?"

The captain looked relieved at her response, while Howard just rolled his eyes, well used to the antics of both of them. "Off you go then," he waved them off, turning to look at Rudolph who just looks horrified.

"Have you heard nothing of what I've said?!" The Captain asked and Tony could see Reinold's patience thinning by the second.

"I have, and I've discarded the information. You have no proof but from your convulsed intuition and I need proof Captain Rogers."

"Pirates have been sighted near the coastline, Stark! Laufeyson has been sighted near the coastline!" Captain Rogers - Tony would have to remember that one - shouted, instantly drawing Tony's eyes due to the uncouth behaviour and Natasha's fearful stare.

"There is no proof! Your proof is that lunatic Henry Pym! That you listen to him at all is enough for me to have doubts about your own sanity!" Howard snarked back, nostrils flaring in blatant annoyance, Tony rather thought he looked like a bull preparing to charge at someone. It was a look usually aimed at him, to be quite honest.

"Even if you don't believe me, even if you have doubts, are you willing to put Anthony's safety at risk?" Rogers shouted back, pointing at the dumbfounded youths, Tony was a bit impressed at Natasha's charade.

"Anthony's going to be part of the Royal Navy." Howard snorted, nodding towards Tony's position, rooted on the floor. "Go, boy, take your friend back to the covent." Howard paused a moment, eyeing the two of them. "Ms. Romanoff." He nodded to the lady, moving to open the door in blatant invitation.

"Father," Tony said, recognising a dismissal when he heard one. He steered Natasha to the door, hand gently on her elbow, his other hand on the handle of the suitcases carrier.

"What are those?" Howard asked as they passed by.

"Just some books I'm lending Natasha," Tony said, steering his friend towards the door, before he crossed the threshold he turned to Captain Rogers, giving him a shallow bow, "Captain, may we meet at the academy."

"It was pleasure, though I had hopped we'd meet in different circumstances," the Captain said, narrowing his eyes at Howard. He continued a moment later, bowing to Natasha, "my lady."

Natasha curtsied to both men, though Tony could see the blatant amusement in her eyes. A nun indeed! "Mr. Stark, Captain Rogers." She replied, voice still trembling in apparent nervousness.

They quickly exited the house, not even leaving the property before Clint Barton joined them.  
"What took you so long? You said five minute! It's almost midnight!" He whispered to Natasha, eyeing the baggage Tony brought along with trepidation. He ignored their cursing, falling into step with them as Natasha set a fast march.

"Howard stopped us for a chat, along with Captain Rogers." Tony said, panting from the effort of carrying the suitcases.

"Shit, Rogers knows about our plans? What the hell man, just leave it! We're almost late!" Clint shouted, already ten steps ahead of the inventor.

"No, don't!" Natasha interrupted, looking from Barton to the suitcase and back at Tony. "Can't you go faster?!"

"Are you sure?" Tony asked, gritting his teeth. "It's noisy!"

"Yes! We've got two minutes to arrive!" Natasha snapped and Tony sighed, stopping completely. He bit his lip, pressing a button to the side of the carrier, only to be engulfed by steam as the carrier seemed to change.

Natasha stared, eyes wide in genuine surprise as the noises doubled, for the first time fearing that whatever it was Tony had finally managed to put himself on fire. The steam became even thicker, as if Tony had Ben engulfed by a white wall, the noises of steel gritting against steel.

The noises slowly stopped, only for Antony's voice to he heard whispering to himself, 'gotta work on the steam output, it's not supposed to so this.'

Natasha rolled her eyes as Tony came out of the white wall, his hand holding-

"Is that a hand?!" She demanded, watching the too small fingers gripping Tony's and a stick of an arm - literally - followed.

"Yes! This is DUM-E, he's a prototype for now, but I projected him to keep up with us for the moment." He grinned at their amazed faces, easily going by Barton now, as the construct kept up on his own... It had legs.

"Couldn't you have done that before?" Clint asked as the ran to keep up with Tony now.

"Wasn't sure it would actually hold up! I'd rather have done it on the ship." Tony said, voice shaky from running, Natasha was following besides him, going DUM-E distrustful looks.

Behind them the church bells sounded, ominous in their sound. In front of them the pier approached, slowly with each step.

"Shit shit shit!" Tony hissed, jaw clenched. "Clint, go in front of us, ask the good captain to wait for us! He has red eyes!"

"Shit Tony, do you know who that is?"

"Yes! Now go, you're the fastest between the three of us!" They watched as Clint took off, grumbling the whole time.

They arrived seven minutes after Barton, to see the pier in peace, there was only two Navy ships, no sign of the black ship, only Barton staring at the water.

"We missed it?" Natasha whispered, hands curling into fists.

They stared at the water, dark as the night, only the light of the moon causing ripples in the water. The night was still, the air stale and the warm golden lights shone in the distance, the sounds of water hitting rock, hitting wood the only sound between the three of them. No sign of the great big blue-and-black ship.

Natasha heard it first, the sound of running feet towards them, the puffs of air as someone not used to exercise ran in their direction. She touched Clint's elbow first, knowing he would pick it up soon, Tony was too busy with his new toy to be of much use.

"Someone's coming," Natasha whispered at last to the inventor as the shape drew nearer, the man - if man it was - was short, and had things dangling from himself. Her eyes widened before shooting a narrow-eyed look at Tony of course it was Banner! She knew the bastard would be smug about this later, she might even let him after that Hammer slip.

"Is everyone here then?" Another voice asked, low and smooth, a voice which shouldn't have been there to begin with. The three of them swirled around, staring at the red eyed man, fears pooled in Natasha's stomach, he hadn't been there a moment before and Natasha would have heard his steps if not sensed him outright, it was a talent she had always had. The words died on her lips as Tony stepped forward, dooming them all.

"We're here." The young inventor said, "where is your ship?"

"Just follow me, young Padawan." The captain smirked, leading them to the far end pier and into the water.

"What are you doing?" Barton shouted, looking as the Captain descended into the waters as if going down the stairs. Him and Bruce ran over, followed by Natasha and Tony bringing up the rear, only to see what appeared to be a hole in the water, warm light painting it orange and yellow.

"Are you coming or not?" The captain's voice came from the inside, echoing strangely up for them, the voice metallic.

"Lord have mercy, yes!" Tony whispered, silently preying to a God he did not believe in.

They descended into madness, iron walls, painted orange from a non existent fire, strange glass contraptions hanging from the ceiling and emitting an eery white light, the low rumble of mechanics - and it was mechanics, Tony could easily tell - under their feet and the stale air...

"Where are we?" Natasha asked, slipping her hands into Tony's, the only show of nervousness she would allow herself.

"This is the Frostiron," Loki replied, the tips of his fingertips running through the wall, as if caressing the ship, "the second part of the ship anyway, the first is hidden so the Royal Navy will not see it.

"We're underwater," Bruce stated, eyes wide as he looked around, the tiny tiny windows showing wet blackness greeting them, distorted points of light coming through only because if was a full moon outside.

"We are, yes." Their captain agreed, leading them away from the windows and deeper into the ship. "As I've said this is part two of the ship, it'll make it easier for us to sneak under the eye of the good Captain Rogers." Loki laughed, the sound amused and sharp against the walls. "By the way, young Mr. Stark, you should look at the letter your father sent you." He winked at the young aristocrat, turning a corridor and disappearing.

Air and closed walls greeted them, hollow footsteps echoing around them, along with the sound of laughter and the swift breeze of the sea.

They are under the sea on a metal cabin, breathing air that shouldn't even be there, Bruce starts to hyperventilate, his breath speeding up and his pulse skyrocketing. He wants to tell the other two what's going on as he slides to his knees and his palms begin to sweat.

"Take him to the cabin." A female voice said behind them, the female in question is petite, short hair cut just bellow her ears, slender in a way only a dancer or a fighter could be.

"Ms van-" Natasha starts, stuttering.

"It's the Wasp." The woman interrupts sharply, "the Frostiron's second in command, The Wasp." She repeated, opening the door for one of the cabins, "just put your friend there and let us move to the deck, we're about ready to sail."

"Laufeyson said he needed a crew." Tony half asks, half states as he drags Bruce to the nearest bed. There are just two, for him and Bruce, Natasha would probably be somewhere else sleeping-quarters wise.

Janet snorted, as elegant and lady like as a woman could snort, "Loki needs no crew. He has me and Captain Marvel, and we're more than enough." She grinned, all sharp and fierce. "Lad? You should search your luggage, if Laufeyson said something was there, than you better verify," she winked, sauntering away in five-inch heels, clearly expecting them to follow.

"That's Ms. van Dyne." Natasha whispered to herself, the heir of the van Dyne fortune had disappeared after the failed marriage with Lunatic Pym.

"Yeah, what is she doing here?" Tony whispered back, hurrying after the ladies, mind half on his luggage, wondering if his father had any tracking means.

No, that was impossible, wasn't it?


	39. Jotunn Blue

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Just a little prompt I saw on tumblr: Can you just imagine Odin being really paranoid that people would find out Loki is a Jotun?

"Loki has decided his new favourite colour is blue," Frigga said, quietly entering her husband’s study, closing the door and leaning against it.  
  
"What?"  
  
"Loki’s colour, he has decided he likes blue best and wants his name-day to be in blue." She said, crossing her arms under her bosson, her nails digging on her arm to keep from laughing at Odin.  
  
"No, it can’t be! Blue?"  
  
"Blue."  
  
"But that’s a Jotunn color!" Odin whispered to himself, looking incredibly distraught with the prospective.  
  
Frigga cracked a smile, having to dig her nails deeper on her arm to put herself under control and keep from laughing at Odin, her husband was absolutely ridiculous when it came to Loki.  
  
"We’ve got to change his mind! People will think he’s a Frost Giant!" Odin snapped, his heart thump-thumping in panic mode. What would happen if everyone found out that Loki was Laufey’s offspring? What if-?!  
  
"The boy’s barelly 300-years old, my love, he’ll change his mind next season, for now, he wants it blue."  
  
"But the party’s in a week!" couldn’t Loki have said so earlier? Then Odin would have had the time to change his mind or bring him to another realm for the party or- "We could give him nightmares! Nightmares with the color blue!"  
  
"Absolutely not!" Frigga snapped, glaring at Odin, "he’s a boy and he wants his name-day in blue, there’s nothing wrong with that!"  
  
"But people’ll make the connection! And then what? I’m not gonna lose my boy to an angry mob who keeps listening to horror stories told by retired warriors!"  
  
"They will not! Loki has your colouring when you were in your 3000’s Odin, he’s an Odinson regardless of angle you look at it." Frigga sighed, "you know how tall Jotunn offsprings can be, he looks nothing like them, no one will make the connection."

"But-"

"No one. Will make. The connection." Frigga enunciated firmly, stepping up to her husband’s table.  
  
"Come, we’ve got a name-day party to plan!"  
  
Odin grumbled, closing the files on the other realms - midgard’s residents had just found out how to paint on their walls, honestly, they could be worse than Thor when he had been on his 200! - to concentrate on the party to be made.  
  
"We could make it red…" He suggested, bringing the file with the decorations.  
  
"Odin!"


	40. Smurf blue

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Thor has always known Loki kinda turned blue when in the presence of freezing cold.

Prompt: Thor has always known Loki was a Frost Giant.

“I've changed,” Thor muttered, staring Loki.

“So have I,” Loki said, grinning slightly at Thor, his eyes cold and mocking, and then Gungnir was in his hands, making painful contact with Thor's face, Loki was still grinning, “now fight me.”

And he hit Thor again, sending him flying out of the Bifrost.

“I've never wanted the throne,” Loki snarled. “I only ever wanted to be your equal.”

“I will not fight you, brother!” Thor shouted, he couldn't believe this was happening, after everything...

“I'm not your brother! I never was!” And then he understood.

“Loki this is madness!”

“Is it madness? Is it?” He snarled, “is it?!” He shouted, his eyes glinting with madness. “I don't know what happened on earth to turn you so, so soft,” the last word was snarled in disgust, “don't tell me it was that woman... Oh it was, well maybe, when we're finished here, I'll pay her a visit myself!”

And then they collided. Loki with Odin's Gungnir and Thor with Mjolnir, Thor wondered, very, very briefly, where was Laevatinn, but then Gungnir and Mjolnir were making painful contact, in a show of hit and dodge similar to their training, but Thor could feel that for Loki this was real, this was it, their final showdown of sorts. It was with an effort – from the heart, not from his fist – that he threw them both out of the Bifrost, his heart skipping a beat as he saw his brother hang from the Rainbow Bridge.

But just like Loki's Asgardian skin, that was not real, after a pitiful 'brother, please' the mirage disappeared, and Thor felt like rolling his eyes at himself. Typical Loki. But he knew what was going to happen now. Somewhat predictably – by Loki-standards – Loki multiplied himself, all laughing.

“Enough!” Thor shouted, calling the only magic he knew, Thunder, and throwing Loki off of him. Feeling like rolling his eyes at his brother, laid moaning on the Rainbow Bridge, it was with a sigh that Thor sat himself on Loki's chest.

It was just like when they were children and, Thor being older, trained with warriors while Loki was just beginning. At that time their fights always ended up with Thor sitting on Loki, and Loki either pouting angrily or crying.

Now the similarity was not lost on Loki either. Loki, who was snarling and barring his teeth at him, just like Fenrir did. And Thor really couldn't help but wonder who in their right mind could ever doubt that Loki was Fenrir's father. They had the exact same bad temperament.

“Enough brother, enough!” Thor shouted, before glancing back at Bifrost. “Stay here, we'll talk about the Frost Giant thing as soon as I deal with the Bifrost.”

And Thor turned around, only to be caught by the neck by Loki. “Don't turn your back on me,” he sneered, mouth and suddenly pointy teeth much closer than they were supposed to be.

Thor threw him over his shoulder, feeling sharp nails dig in his neck as Loki landed again on the Bifrost, “brother enough!”

“I'm not your brother, Thunderer!” Loki snarled again. Thor looked past Loki, to the Bifrost which was spinning out of their control he just didn't have time to be gentle now, to talk Loki out of self-destruction, out of the destruction of a whole race.

“I am sorry, brother,” and Thor delivered a quick blow to his neck, Loki falling into unconsciousness with another betrayed look at him.

“I am sorry, Loki.” Thor whispered to his brother, and then he moved to the Bifrost. The only way to make it all stop was to destroy the device. With Mjolnir in hand, Thor moved forward, summoning thunderstorms to aid him in destroying the part of the rainbow bridge that held the Bifrost.

With a mighty blow, the bridge broke, the Bifrost stopped spinning, falling into the abyss between the Ygdrasil roots, he was not prepared for the force to throw him and Loki out, it was with sheer stubbornness that he held onto the unconscious Loki, and suddenly another hand was holding onto him.

Thor was torn between sheer relief and disbelief.

“How is he?” Odin asked, as soon as both men were save on what remained of the Bridge.

“Unconscious.” Thor said, shaking his head looking at Loki. Even then he looked angry, with that aura of madness around him that sometimes took him. “What happened?” He asked his father.

“It is not for me to tell,” Odin said, shaking his own head in regret, and Thor shook with anger... a part of him blaming his father for what had happened.

“I'll take him to the healing chambers then,” Thor muttered, putting Loki on his shoulders, and walking away.

~x~

“How is he?” Thor asked as he walked into the healing chambers the next day. Loki was strapped to the bed, his arms and legs bound and his face pale.

“When will he awaken?”

“Any moment now, my prince,” the healer bowed slightly to Thor, looking at his brother with that neutrality that everyone had towards Loki. “He has been healed, but his mind has not been touched, do you wish us to..?” The healer trailed off, looking at Thor.

“No, no... I think, I think we have hurt him enough with the healing stones. I think it's past the time we, I,” he corrected himself forcefully, “dealt with him, there are things he must know, and there are things we must share.”

The healer nodded, “for what's worth, my prince,” the man said after a pause looking at Loki with a look Thor could only describe as fond neutrality. “For what's worth, he was a very fair king.”

“Until his stunt with Jotunheim, you mean?”

“No, not really... we, ah-”

“Speak your mind, healer.”

“Forgive me, my prince,” the healer bowed lower, and then stared past Loki, refusing to look anywhere else. “When we learned of the Bifrost incident, we couldn't help but wonder why you didn't let him finish it.”

“Excuse me?” Thor asked, more sharply than he intended.

“You must understand,” the man said nervously, “we've all been crying for Jotun blood since the coronation, and when news spread that our prince, then King Loki, had found a way for that race to be exterminated without spilling Asgardian blood... we were all relieved.” The healer sighed, then in a spurt of braveness, he looked directly into Thor's eyes. “To be perfectly honest, the only ones who had a problem with Loki ruling over Asgard were Heimdall, Sif and the Warriors three. Forgive me,” the man bowed even lower, wisps of platinum blond hair falling forward.

“No, I asked you to speak your mind, do not fear retribution.” Thor sighed, laying his hand on Loki's and immediately feeling the rapid pulse, his brother was awake. “You should tell him that,” Thor smiled sadly at the man.

“Ah... no, I would not dare.”

“No?”

“We, all the Eihnrjar that is, we all approve of Prince Loki, however he is... unapproachable. We fear for what he would do if we approached him without cause.”

“He is bad tempered, isn't he?”

“A bit like Fenrir, if you'll pardon me.”

“Worry not,” Thor said, amused, “but leave me be with my brother now, healer. Ask the warriors to bring those I have asked for.”

As soon as the man walked out, Thor leaned forward, blowing on Loki's ear sharply, watching in amusement as he contorted all over trying to escape the tickling, “how long have you been awake, brother?”

“I'm not your brother, thunderer.” Loki whispered, turning his face away from Thor.

“Don't be ridiculous! You'll always be my brother, even if you turn blue in the presence of freezing cold!”

“You... you know, did fat- Odin,” Loki corrected himself, “tell you?”

“No, he didn't say anything...” Thor stopped, looking directly into Loki's eyes, “I've always known, Loki. Always.”

“How?! And you never said anything? You've never...” Loki snarled, fighting against his bonds to get to Thor. “So that's why you've always treated me as an inferior, that's why you've always, always disregarded me... makes sense Th-”

“Stop twisting my words!” Thor shouted, “stop drawing conclusions! I've always treated you like that because you're my younger brother! That's what we do, that's what older brothers do, we tease, we disregard, but I cared, Loki, never doubt that I care. I treated you like that because you've always been my younger brother,” Thor continued, exasperated, “and because I was an arrogant little boy, who had no idea what he had! And no one ever bothered to correct me.” Thor sighed, touching his brother's hand, only to have Loki flinching away from him.

“I remember when father brought you home,” Thor recalled suddenly, staring at his brother from the corner of his eye, “you were still blue, still with Jotun's red eyes and father didn't want me to see you, but I sneaked around him, saw the bundle of blankets you were in, opened it, pointed at you and shouted 'blue' to mother and father.” Loki couldn't help but snort at that and Thor mentally patted himself in the back, “don't laugh, I was five.” Thor chuckled. 

“Then why didn't you say anything?”

“Father forbid me and everyone else from saying anything to you. And you became an open secret to the adults.”

“Everyone knew, then.”

“No. Only the adults of that time, only those who were in Asgard. All the children knew nothing. They still know nothing. And the adults were forbidden to say anything.”

“They all knew that I was...” Loki looked away, his mind swirling with words adoptedmonsternotlikethen.

“A baby doesn't come out of nowhere, Loki. And they all knew mother wasn't pregnant before you showed up.”

Loki only threw him a filthy look, a look that clearly said 'I know that.'

“The point is,” Thor said, “you've always been my brother, even if you turn into an evil smurf from time to time.”

“Smurf?” Loki asked, blinking in confusion.

“Midgardian show, Jane showed me. Blue little mischievous midgets, it fits...” Thor shrugged, unrepentant.


End file.
